The California Casino has that expected dank, dour, Downtown Las Vegas feel. Around noon on Monday, there's a decent crowd of tourists and locals playing, eating and cashing in their wins. But I'm focusing on the hand-to-orifice actions: The woman picking at her nose. The man fiddling with his mouth. The older lady smoking a cigarette. Normal activities in any casino in any town. But here, in the California, they're Carriers. The lot of them. And there are no posted signs, no "wash your hands!" reminders—nothing to let them know that this is a hotel where, right now, extra sanitary attention should be requisite.
The California's been hit with a bout of norovirus, a highly contagious virus that causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It's the same kind of sickness as the Norwalk virus that struck cruise ships a couple of years ago, leading to quarantine and mad bouts of decontamination. Sound frightening? Little bit. But it's transmitted by ingestion. So if you keep your hands clean and stay away from people who are sick, you should be safe. Still, you may be disturbed to learn it's been making an appearance at this casino since November.
According to Clark County Health District, there have been 1,174 gastrointestinal illness complaints at the California dating from December 3, 2003, to March 12, 2004. Rob Stillwell challenges that number, claiming that a much, much lower count is accurate. Of course, as the vice president of corporate communications for Boyd Gaming, such challenges are his job. Stillwell figures that 284 people have gotten sick. The other calls, those extra 890, he thinks could be for unrelated illnesses, like a flu that someone brought into the hotel. He also notes that there was a correlation between media coverage and a spike in reported illnesses. To him, that seems suspicious. Either way, he advises me to print that all of this happened over a four-month period. Then he seems slightly annoyed by my questions.
Is there any consideration of closing it down for a day and cleaning it from top to bottom?
Stillwell: "No. No, it doesn't need that."
What does it need?
"It isn't uncommon during flu season for us to have one or two guests take ill. And that's the key. You're not talking about mass numbers."
284 is a lot.
"Over 120 days, it's really not."
OK. Do you guys have any posted warnings?
"Yes. We have notes in the guests rooms, and everything. We've been very proactive on this."
But nothing in the casino area?
"Well, no. Not in terms of signs. I mean, how would you feel walking into a restaurant that said 'People with norovirus have been here?'"
Obviously few people would eat there if they knew. That's the point. His, and mine.
Not that it's their fault. "This is not a matter of any fault on the part of the California," assures David Tonelli, CCHD spokesman. "It's something that could happen anywhere." But it has become their responsibility.
And they're working on it. The casino has made some changes to combat the illness. They're cleaning more frequently and with hospital-grade cleaner; doling out drinks in disposable cups; handing out stronger wipes to gamblers; and placing "state-of-the-art" foggers into rooms to help with the cleaning. But visitors must be vigilant about washing their hands after touching a slot machine, a door handle, countertop, hamburger—anything and everything that could have been touched by someone who's been infected.
If you listen to Stillwell, "The California is probably the cleanest place in town." Regardless, you won't catch us there, picking our noses, any time soon.