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Diarrhea. Uncontrolled vomiting. Aches and pains. These are the symptoms that are plaguing as many as 200 high school cheerleaders and their families across Washington state following a cheerleading competition last weekend, which was attended by around 3,000 people. And you thought you were having a terrible week.
Yes, it sounds like the beginning of a re-make of Outbreak, but the unknown disease is very real to hundreds of cheerleaders and their fans this week. Reports of flu-like symptoms by those who attended or participated in last Saturday’s Salute to Spirit and State Cheerleading Championships started pouring in earlier this week, as schools, parents, and health officials statewide scrambled to find a cause. So far, they haven’t established one yet–and the number of those who are experiencing this crappy illness keeps going up.
State health officials are working hard to figure out what the disease is, and where it may have come from, but so far, there’s little conclusive information about what’s got as many as 19 cheer squads (and their friends and families) feeling so gross. The symptoms are similar to those caused by bacteria, foodborne illness (like food poisoning), or the rotovirus, according the Health Department–but that doesn’t help narrow down the cause, or who patient zero might be. And it doesn’t help parents decide if their kids may still be exposing themselves to the cause.
But even those who haven’t been sickened yet are taking no precautions, which means cheerleading practice across the state has had to get a little creative. According to an MSNBC article, coaches and families are taking no risks.
Assistant cheerleading coach Michelle Whelan says until they know what’s going on, she’s taking extra precautions. “I’m not letting the girls use pom-poms, signs, flags or anything else that was at the competition until we can disinfect them.”
Most of those who have become ill have reportedly started to recover without seeking medical attention–which is sort of a good news/bad news situation, because, while it means the disease isn’t serious, it also means the health department has no way of collecting samples to test.
Anyone attendees who have experienced symptoms are being urged to see their doctor, if only to help isolate what might be wiping out squads across the state.
Image: Thinkstock
