First off, please understand, I am not posting this to cause a panic. Viruses can spread anywhere, much as the flu has been spreading like wildfire here in the states. I'm posting this simply for those who are about to travel to Negril and might want to take a add a few items to their travel bags.
I was in Negril from Dec. 21-Jan. 2nd. My best friend joined me during the dates of Dec. 25-Dec. 30th, to help celebrate my birthday. Although we spent the first 3 days together constantly, she had her own room at our hotel.
My friend got violently ill with a virus and ended up in the hospital on her arrival back in the U.S. I had also met a group of people from Iowa (the group totaled 15 people) and half of their group got extremely ill, also, with vomiting and diarrhea. I had heard when I first got to Negril that a virus was going around and, unfortunately, I saw the results in person. I was one of the lucky ones that, for whatever reason, never got sick. As I said, about 8 people that I had befriended did.
My advice is that if you are traveling to Negril soon, you might want to take anti-nausea medicine and anti-diarrhea medicine...just in case. It's small to pack and could save you from possibly a terribly uncomfortable plane flight back or from ruining part of your trip. The virus had pretty severe symptoms, but for most of those that got it, the symptoms only lasted about 2 days. But still...precautions are never a bad thing.
Once again, please don't accuse me of trying to cause a panic. Viruses happen. But since I know there was one hitting people in Negril during the end of Dec/early Jan, I just want to put the word out there for those who might be packing now or soon. Just a thought. As I said, I got very lucky and didn't catch it, but I saw the misery it brought to those who weren't so lucky.
