Something seems to be sickening rafters visiting the Grand Canyon, and no one’s sure what it is.
In recent months, several rafters have reported experiencing prolonged bouts of illness following their Grand Canyon trips, with no clear explanation yet as to the cause. Officials with the National Park Service are now aware of the reports and are investigating further.
“At this time, the investigation is ongoing, and we are not able to comment on the extent of the illnesses, potential diagnoses or other details while the investigation is underway. We will share additional information with the public as it becomes available,” the NPS said in a statement provided to Paddling Magazine over the weekend.
A shared origin?
Paddling spoke to Matt Wappett, one of the people suffering from the mystery illness.
According to Wappett, he first fell ill with a severe knee infection three days after concluding a rafting trip in early June. Though antibiotics helped with the knee, he’s continued to suffer from a myriad of other symptoms ever since, including fatigue, fever, joint pains, and body aches; he’s also been diagnosed with pneumonia.
“It’s just felt like having a flu for the last month, which is kind of crazy, and I don’t know and the doctors right now don’t know if that infection that I had in my knee is related to it. Nobody seems to know,” Wappett told Padding.
Other people have posted to the Facebook group Grand Canyon Private Boaters about having their own mysterious ailments with similar symptoms. Like Wappett, they also spent time rafting in the Grand Canyon between May and June.
What could it be?
Wappett said that he and his doctors are still awaiting test results looking for signs of valley fever, dengue fever, or hantavirus. In the Facebook group, people have brought up other theories for what’s going on, from tickborne diseases like Lyme and Rocky Mountain spotted fever to those associated with contaminated soil and water like leptospirosis and Legionnaires disease. Of course, it also remains possible that these cases are entirely unconnected.
For now, the NPS is working with other agencies in reaching out to individuals who may be part of this cluster and has already interviewed Wappett and others. People who recently visited the Grand Canyon and are experiencing similar symptoms are being told to contact the NPS Office of Public Health. Contact information for the office, including email, can be seen here.