No serious cases have been reported. However, some of the sick hikers have abandoned their adventure and stayed in the shelters along the route.
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Several dozen cases of gastroenteritis on the GR20, the prestigious long-distance hiking trail in Corsica, were reported to the Regional Health Agency (ARS) on Friday, July 12. The latter, in a press release published on Monday, July 15, reminded people of the good hygiene practices to follow.
No serious cases have been reported, however some of the sick hikers had to abandon the continuation of their adventure and stay in the shelters on the route. The first results carried out by the ARS since last weekend “suggest that the origins of gastroenteritis cases are multifactorial” : water, food, human contact in shelters. The results of the analyses are expected in the coming days.
In the meantime, the ARS therefore calls on hikers to never drink water from nature without filtering it first. It also reminds of the need to “follow simple hygiene instructions: wash your hands often: before and after going to the toilet, before preparing a meal, before eating…”
Shelter managers have been instructed to increase cleaning of toilets and all objects frequently touched by hikers, such as door handles and light switches.
