Norovirus Warning for Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee 03/27/2024

03/27/2024
Norovirus Warning for Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee

Update: The National Park Service has updated their GI Illness alert to a Norovirus Alert and expanded the alert areas along the Appalachian Trail to now include Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. While most people recover within 1-3 days, there have been serious cases on the A.T. requiring evacuation from the Trail and hospitalization.

In addition to the precautions outlined below, hikers should also avoid commonly touched surfaces such as other hiker’s gear, shelter logbooks, and privy door handles. Consider carrying bleach wipes to clean common surfaces before touching them, such as bear boxes/cables. Read the full alert here.

Please note that many backcountry water filters do not remove norovirus from water. See the CDC poster below for more information about proper backcountry water treatment.