Gastro bug sickens more than 100 on Australian train

Wednesday, 09 Oct, 2019 0

More than 100 passengers were taken ill on the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Perth due to a suspected norovirus outbreak.

Two passengers had to be hospitalised.

South Australia Health Communicable Disease Control branch director Dr Louise Flood said health officials had been working with operator Great Southern Rail ‘to try and control this outbreak."

The first case was reported on September 10 and lasted until last week.

"We’re aware of just over 100 cases," Flood said, describing them as ‘short-lived gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhoea.’

"We think it’s most likely an outbreak of norovirus. Outbreaks of norovirus are not uncommon and there is a lot of norovirus circulating at the moment."

The journey had not been affected as sections were deep cleaned as it stopped at stations, although some carriages were uncoupled and removed.

Some passengers had abandoned their train journey while others with the bug were confined to their cabins.

"The people on the Indian Pacific train tend to be older because that’s just the clientele, so whenever you get unwell when you’re older, it can affect you a little more," Flood added.

The Sydney-Perth one way rail journey takes three days and covers more than 4,000 km.

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

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