Luxor4u

Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Frozen Strawberries From Egypt.

At least 40 people have been sickened in a hepatitis A outbreak that health officials believe is linked to frozen strawberries from Egypt.

The outbreak was first identified in August when officials from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention noticed multiple people sickened by the same strain of hepatitis A. The outbreak has now been linked to frozen strawberries from Egypt that were used in smoothies at Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations in Virginia, according to the state health department.

The 40 people reported sickened are ages 15 to 68, and all said they consumed a smoothie before exhibiting symptoms.

At least 55 percent of those who tested positive for the virus and had their information available to health authorities had to be hospitalized, the department said on Monday.

The hepatitis A virus can cause inflammation of the liver. Symptoms can develop within 15 to 50 days of exposure and can include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting and abdominal pain. A vaccine and immunoglobulin treatment are available for hepatitis A, and both can help protect against the virus if they are taken soon after exposure to the virus.

There's a joke in their somewhere...
Ps: Nick once walked into my office and whined, "Doc, you've got to help me; I've got a strawberry stuck up my ass."
I pulled out my pad and said, "I've got cream for that!".....

Did he 'shake' or 'ripple' with laughter Doc?

It never rains but how it pours.

Major Thom wrote:It never rains but how it pours.

I see you are keeping as cheerful as ever.

HEPZIBAH wrote:

Major Thom wrote:It never rains but how it pours.

I see you are keeping as cheerful as ever.

Maybe a reference to the fact that it seldom, in fact hardly ever, rains in Luxor whilst, certainly while I was there (twice), it rains quite a lot in Queensland, Australia.

They even have rain forests

That's right I was in the Kuranda Range yesterday, hot and steamy, great for the complexion . Today going to the beach and Port Douglas, I am starting a blog site off soon so people can see the type of life here. They can compare if they want, but the blogs are not really aimed at that, because there are many places that you cannot compare to. Regarding rain, it's that action that keeps the colourful plants and flowers alive, that keeps the air fresh, so you cannot compare to desert and barren places.
If you have been there twice Newc. Then you will surely realise they have two seasons, Wet and Dry Seasons, named that for obvious reasons.

Both my trips were over Christmas/New Year...the so-called dry season. I appreciated the pools in my Port Douglas hotel (Sheraton Mirage) as the sea was out-of -bounds .......swarming with deadly box jellyfish. Horrific pictures of unlucky bathers were pinned to palm trees!

We had some rain most days...but not unpleasant in a hot climate.

Severe weather is a regular "issue" on the coastal strip of Queensland.

As a Brit (who are inclined to obsess about the weather), you'll find lots to moan about

There can be a few cyclones especially in the wet season, but at least it does not stop people working. We go walking the avenues at around 9pm most nights, it's peaceful and you hardly meet a soul, due to the fact most work a 5or6 day week and are normally at this time preparing themselves for bed. It's really unusual, but give them their dues pleasure comes in pleasure time and not work time.
Port Douglas today was great, the Sunday Market was there the place was heaving, the sun was high and at around 28c it was very comfortable. Had a couple of Northern Brew Crispies and then to barramundi lunch before setting off for home. Now a couple of hours nap before going to Yorkies Knob or Bluewater, we have not decided yet.
For me tomorrow I am with Kend at the Mission Beach area, looking for slithers again, looking forward to it, I really enjoy getting out among the wildlife. Oh! Forgot to tell you Newc. a tourist walking the beach at Palm Cove got snapped up by a Salty a couple of weeks ago. Stupid to walk the beaches after dark, there are so many creeks left by the wet season.

newcastle wrote:Both my trips were over Christmas/New Year...the so-called dry season. I appreciated the pools in my Port Douglas hotel (Sheraton Mirage) as the sea was out-of -bounds .......swarming with deadly box jellyfish. Horrific pictures of unlucky bathers were pinned to palm trees!

We had some rain most days...but not unpleasant in a hot climate.

Severe weather is a regular "issue" on the coastal strip of Queensland.

As a Brit (who are inclined to obsess about the weather), you'll find lots to moan about

Once the novelty wears off

Just give me plenty to do and places to go. Just give me great clean eateries, nice clean bars, on the blog site there will be a picture of a traffic queue, nothing to some but when you see they are queued at a red traffic light it makes the photo different. The other day I ordered a Pizza with my phone, paid for it using my phone, and then tracked its delivery to the house on my phone. My debit card for instance until I got here I did not realise all you had to do was hit the screen with it and your purchase was done. Virtually everything is debit card transaction, so easy. You can even book tables at restaurants with your phone. You may be able to do in the UK but I have been out of modern society for so long now I have gone back to primitive actions, and do not know the modern world it's like learning all over again.
Anyway getting back to fayrola it seems the whole world and its uncle are trying to put the blame on Egypt for everything that happens, even the press and TV Media. I remember watching "Walking the Nile" a big thing was made, the guy had just crossed over from war torn Sudan, the first thing out of his mouth was, "This is Egypt now, a secretive Country, a Police and Military State" what? Why would he say that after almost having his head blown off in Sudan. This is again why I say it never rains but what it pours for the Country.

Errmm...yes. We do have chip and pin *and* contactless cards here in the UK. The contactless card can even be used on the London underground instead of purchasing a ticket!
Just like Australia, if you don't wish to leave your armchair, you can just about run your life from your mobile phone these days. I'm sure you can probably get an app that will start your shower running tou your precise temperature and pressure too. Whether there is an app to scrub your back I wouldn't like to guess.

Major Thom wrote:
For me tomorrow I am with Kend at the Mission Beach area, looking for slithers again, looking forward to it, I really enjoy getting out among the wildlife. Oh! Forgot to tell you Newc. a tourist walking the beach at Palm Cove got snapped up by a Salty a couple of weeks ago. Stupid to walk the beaches after dark, there are so many creeks left by the wet season.

True.

But poking around for poisonous snakes is fine.........enjoy

What the **** has all this twaddle got to do with frozen strawberries? A confused reader.

Dusak wrote:What the **** has all this twaddle got to do with frozen strawberries? A confused reader.

I believe Amenhotep III liked strawberries . I don't think he ever went to Australia though

newcastle wrote:

Dusak wrote:What the **** has all this twaddle got to do with frozen strawberries? A confused reader.

I believe Amenhotep III liked strawberries . I don't think he ever went to Australia though

Now that our Frater0082 is up and active again, perhaps he could solve this one. Didn't someone sometime on here say that Egyptian artifacts had been discovered in the Grand Canyon? So they could of overshot the landing pad a tad.

Dusak wrote:
Now that our Frater0082 is up and active again, perhaps he could solve this one. Didn't someone sometime on here say that Egyptian artifacts had been discovered in the Grand Canyon? So they could of overshot the landing pad a tad.

I believe they only stayed long enough to erect a couple of obelisks, gather some tobacco and cocaine, before heading off to Egypt to build the pyramids

Does anyone else here think it's strange at the amount of time Major Tom seems to be spending on the internet these days - especially for one who's on holiday in 'Utopia'? Maybe the reality isn't quite matching up to the dream!

When he's not on here he's probably looking for 'roo's or,

quite probably constantly looking under his toilet seats with gloves on.
"I reckon a rat once came up around my u bend,
So. down-unders, always close the lid in fact every-one everywhere close the lid,
and make sure the toilet paper is facing the right way round.

The Dr knows all.....

I almost forgot a strawberry joke this: from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory:
"Lick an orange. It tastes like an orange. The strawberries taste like strawberries! The snozzberries taste like snozzberries!"
Yeh! I thought it was a crap & very weird film as well...