A popular lodge on Sweden’s highest peak has been forced to temporarily close after a stomach bug rapidly spread among hikers.
STF Kebnekaise mountain station, which lies at the foot of the 2,096m Kebnekaise massif, had quarantined several guests who had caught the bug in recent days but decided to take a more drastic measure after it was also detected in hikers camping in the area.
All but two guests, who were too ill to travel on Sunday so will remain overnight, have left the station, which has 220 beds, a restaurant and shop.
The precise nature of the illness is yet to be determined.
“We don’t know how it started but somehow someone in the mountain station got a stomach disease and it spread,” Maria Persson, operational manager at STF Kebnekaise mountain station, told the Guardian. “We didn’t have that many cases at the mountain station but we heard about a lot more cases among people camping in the area so we decided to close down for a few days to prevent further spread.”
Hikers who were camping were also being evacuated from the mountain.
To try to stop the spread of the bug, the Swedish tourist association advised hikers of proper bathroom practices, including walking 100 metres away from the trail, homes, cabins and watercourses to relieve themselves, before digging a pit and covering it up.
“This is our recommendation, too,” said Persson. “Even in situations where we don’t have a disease that spreads, we recommend people walk 100 metres from the trail and any watercourse so that their faeces don’t end up in the water. We hope that people do as we recommend.”
STF Kebnekaise mountain station, where guests make their own bed and clean their own room, was fully booked almost every night this season before the bug struck.
Persson said the odd stomach bug was not unusual at this time of year, usually among people who weren’t used to the environment. “But we noticed there were more cases than normal in the middle of last week,” she said.
Persson had expected the evacuation to be chaotic, but most guests took it in their stride.
“Of course, they were disappointed about having their holiday plans changed, but guests have shown great understanding despite the sad news.”
The station will be fully sanitised and is expected to reopen on Thursday.
