Disney Vacations on High Alert: Health Officials Warn of a Trio of Infectious Diseases on the Rise in Central Florida

There’s no better time to visit The Walt Disney World Resort than the Christmas season. The parks are decorated for the holidays, and the seasonal weather draws millions from across the country, especially from those places with harsh winters.

However, when millions of people from across the country converge on one place, it can lead to the spread of various diseases, especially among those who are immunocompromised or unvaccinated. And with people traveling this holiday season to Disney World, health officials are warning that there has been a surge in viruses in Florida that can be deadly to certain populations.

Whooping Cough

In recent months, Florida has experienced a surge in pertussis cases, also known as whooping cough, among its population, mainly due to declines in immunization rates. Pertussis starts with a runny nose and fever, but people quickly develop an uncontrollable cough that sounds like a whoop.

Whooping cough is especially dangerous to infants. One in five will develop pneumonia, while one percent of those infected with whooping cough will die.

“Pertussis cases increase in a cyclical fashion driven by waning immunity, but the size of the outbreak and the potential for severe outcomes in children who cannot be vaccinated can be mitigated by high coverage and good communication to folks at risk,” said Demetre Daskalakis, a former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s immunization program, who resigned in August.

Florida has already reported over 1,380 cases this year, a sharp increase from last year, and is second in the nation, behind only Texas.

Influenza

A new strain of influenza has developed this year that is more contagious and deadly than those seen in the past. The K subclade of influenza A’s H3N2 subtype has been the dominant strain of the flu so far this season.

“Influenza A typically causes worse symptoms compared to influenza B, and patients are more likely to get hospitalized with influenza A compared to influenza B,” Dr. Donald Dumford, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, said.

Influenza is particularly dangerous for the elderly and those who are immunocompromised. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, body aches, headaches, and fatigue.

There is some good news, however: a new study from the United Kingdom shows that this year’s version of the vaccine is effective against the latest variant.

Norovirus

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that is also known as the “Winter Vomiting Disease.” As its nickname suggests, Norovirus causes extreme cases of vomiting and diarrhea due to the inflammation of the stomach and intestines.

“Norovirus is a human virus that is typically transmitted by the fecal-oral route,” Robyn Chatman, a Cincinnati-based physician, said. “That just means that we’ve handled something that is contaminated, and once it’s on our hands, we do all kinds of things with our hands.”

Much like influenza and whooping cough, children and the elderly are more vulnerable to hospitalization and death due to Norovirus. Last December, health officials saw a record 25 percent of tests come back positive for Norovirus. In November, that number jumped to 14 percent the week before Thanksgiving.

With Thanksgiving behind us, health officials expect a similar spike in these viruses in December. The best defense against these diseases is to wash your hands and, if possible, get vaccinated.

What’s your best tip for staying healthy on your Disney World vacation? Let us know in the comments.