19 Cheerleading Squads Sickened At Washington Tournament

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Washington state health officials said Tuesday they are investigating reports of intestinal illness affecting at least 19 squads that participated in a weekend state cheerleading tournament in Everett.

Reported symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, state Health Department spokesman Donn Moyer said.

KOMO-TV reported that several people have been hospitalized but their conditions were unknown. Moyer said he had not heard of any hospitalizations "but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened."

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association hosted Saturday's competition at Comcast Arena. More than 3,000 people attended and more than 1,000 people in 52 squads competed in cheerleading, dance and drill events, the association said.

The first symptoms developed Sunday and Monday, the Health Department said.

State health officials were working with the Snohomish Health District and the athletics association to determine the cause of the illnesses, Moyer said. Surveys were being sent to participants and samples were being collected for testing.

Intestinal illnesses can be caused by several viruses and bacteria that may come from a variety of sources, the Health Department said. Anyone with severe symptoms should see a health care provider, Moyer said.

There have been reports of students suffering symptoms at Puget Sound-area high schools including Marysville, Ballard, Juanita, Mount Si and Skyline, KOMO reported.

Students from Pierce and Kitsap counties may also have become ill, Snohomish Health District spokeswoman Suzanne Pate told The Daily Herald of Everett.

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Comments

[Amelia Quailler]

12:59 PM on 02/29/2012

Wow, that's terrible. I'm a coach and I would not like it if I spent money on custom cheer music, uniforms, and things if they couldn't perform. And I would be even MORE worried about their health! That's such a scary and unfortunate situation. It's scary that people were hospitalized for it. I'm glad I found this article so I can warn my girls to stay as healthy as possible. I was searching for music, but I found it anyway http://www.cheersounds.com/store/
;)

[onionboy]

02:59 PM on 02/09/2012

Rah, rah, rrraaahhhhllllggggppphhhh!!!

[VA Jill]

02:30 PM on 02/09/2012

Norovirus or food poisoning, take your pick

[driver11]

06:01 AM on 02/09/2012

This was probably the Noro virus. It can be found in schools and other places where there are a large number of people grouped together, not just cruise ships. I live in the Florida Panhandle and drive a school bus. We have had a large number of kids and adults being affected by this. The school I drive for is great about disinfecting everything, however, the one thing I think school officials need to do is get rid of the carpet in schools. Things are spilled on the carpet and who knows what is brought in on everyones feet. You can clean and disinfect all you want, but things still can live in that carpet. When I was in school we did not have carpet anywhere in the school, and I don't remember there ever being the kinds of illnesses affecting us that are affecting the kids now days.

[automan 57]

01:03 AM on 02/09/2012

Most pubic places cutting cost of proper cleaning and not disinfecting properly !!!~~~ Might look clean but is not. Keeps up, we are all going to be wearing mask and rubber gloves like Japan and China !!!~~~ Look at those cruise ships last week !!!~~~ Health department needs to start swabbing buses, door knobs, eatery tables, utinsels and rest rooms to see how much harmful bacteria exists !!!~~~ How many times have you been in a resturant and seen the table bused with a dirty rag ???~~~ There has to be a common cause !!!~~~

[MaryfromIL]

01:01 AM on 02/09/2012

Anyone know what the diff is between 24 hour stomach flu and noro virus?

[aicequeen36]

12:10 AM on 02/09/2012

lemme guess..seeing as most are female ..then people will blame it on facebook and mass hysteria...of thats right ..people already are on another article about the girls with facial tics...

[sikofbs]

11:19 PM on 02/08/2012

people are insanely gross and the hygiene in this country has fallen to the waistside. I work in a public State bldg and I deal with en exuberant amount of people of a daily basis and I must say they are horrific. If they are not still in their pajamas, they are in summer clothes that are too small or winter clothes too big. My point, if people actually took a moment to Dollar store hygiene product it we would have half the battle but hey whats a dollar bottle of sanitizer besides 3 quarters water anyway! So efff it let me just save the dollaer and go infect these rude people who care about themselves!

[CC83]

10:12 PM on 02/08/2012

It's only norovirus...we see it on the east coast every year at this time. Sick for 24-48hrs not a biggie just not fun.

[babby201]

09:48 PM on 02/08/2012

sounds like something nasty living on the tofu snacks.

[babettekittie]

09:41 PM on 02/08/2012

As if cheerleaders are bothered by throwing up! I guess this is the same as the LeRoy High kids and one cheerleader got a stomach virus so they all mimicked her.

[lswblk]

09:21 PM on 02/08/2012

In this economy, I think there are many restaurants etc who are cutting corners such as food safety. I've been hit hard within the last six months and haven't gone out for over three months. I've heard from friends who have friends working in some establishments who have admitted that not all food is fresh or safe. So the rich keeps getting richer by feeding us like we are pigs and all who are grazing the profits from wall street are just laughing from us who eats their foul foods. It's time that people to stop eating out at fast food joints unless you don't mind being a "pig" and spend a little extra time and cooking at home with fresh foods.

[seattleite4]

11:02 PM on 02/08/2012

Many eating establishments are not owned by rich people but are owned by small business owners who work very, very hard.

[alabamajack]

09:08 PM on 02/08/2012

Give me a "S" Give me a "H" Give me an "I" Give me a "T"

[seattleite4]

11:02 PM on 02/08/2012

What's that spell??

[Yeup I Said It]

01:33 AM on 02/09/2012

You mean, What's that smell!?!

[cherkobak]

09:06 PM on 02/08/2012

I am on the east coast and it has been going around my sons school. It is pretty bad and it last longer than 24 hours. The cruises are all having it now also. Tiss the time of year.

[icwhite02]

08:58 PM on 02/08/2012

B) SPITTING IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST PET PEEVES! IDIOTS, IF YOU MUST SPIT IN A PUBLIC PLACE, SPIT UNDER A BUSH OR SOME OTHER AREA WHERE PEOPLE DON'T WALK! BUT A TOILET IS THE BEST PLACE! It IS NOT MASCULINE TO SPIT! IT IS GROSS!
Remember how China had to outlaw public spitting in order to break the SARS epidemic?! People are people's biggest enemies, & STUPIDITY KILLS! It's just a crying shame that though that the ones who have the case of TERMINAL STUPIDITY usually aren't the ones who die of it, or if they do, they take alot of innocent bystanders with them!

[Jennifer Malcom]

09:55 PM on 02/08/2012

??????

[ollielitek]

12:24 AM on 02/09/2012

Who the heck died and made you God?

[ollielitek]

12:27 AM on 02/09/2012

Jennifer - that was not at you. icwhite02 was the intended recipient of that comment.

[LindaK9975]

12:32 AM on 02/09/2012

Spitting is not only gross, but it is a health threat as well.