Ah, those summer memories

timely warning about the dangers of dropping our guard too much.

Highly likely to be norovirus, the bug was linked first to trampers using Department of Conservation huts on the Travers-sabine tramping track in Nelson Lakes National Park.

There have been some three dozen cases in less than a month there, leading to special efforts to cleanse the facilities.

This week, further reports have come of suspected gastro-viral illness at popular DOC camping ground Totaranui in Abel Tasman National Park, and from people in Nelson’s third national park, Kahurangi.

Holiday hotspots are obviously not the only places that are vulnerable.

Last year’s gastro outbreak at Havelock North and the E coli scare at Pahiatua showed we have to be careful about even town-supply drinking water.

Norovirus is associated with rest homes, hospitals, boarding establishments and restaurants, while some well publicised outbreaks in cruise ships have had that industry loading up on hand-sanitisers.

It is highly infectious and potentially fatal among the infirm.

Its explosive symptoms bring misery and pain to even the healthiest of people unfortunate enough to contract it.

The virus spreads through eating contaminated food or drink or touching an infected person, or something they’ve been in contact with, and then failing to clean your hands sufficiently.

The virus can even be carried by air.

A sufferer can continue to be contagious for several days after the symptoms disappear.

This makes any outbreak at