From the Winter Games: The threat no one expected

Signs posted around the Olympic venues urge extreme caution. Nine hundred troops have streamed into the area to help. 1,200 people are sequestered in their rooms and not because of anything related to North Korea and national security.

Instead, on the eve of the biggest planned event in South Korea in years, there’s a villain on the prowl. A villain with a name nine letters long. The name? Norovirus. That’s right, the same jerk who uses water to force cruise ships into safe harbor or disrupts major conventions, or in my case hit me out of nowhere on a flight from Salt Lake City to Atlanta in 2015. Wherever and however, this virus is razor sharp in its attack and resulting damage. (I lost 14 pounds in four days and was severely dehydrated.)

Now, some South Koreans are blasting the government's response and preparations asking: are the Games hygienic? What about the reputation of South Korea? Could the athletes get sick? We’ve been worried about the flu. But not norovirus!

The fears may turn out to be much ado about nothing. But with a national reputation on the line, officials want this contained. No one wants Pyeongchang associated more with disease than athletics in the manner that Zika loomed over Rio in 2016.

This devil of an illness is a common, infection that causes terrible stomach issues but doesn't require medical treatment. Most people recover on their own after a few days, even if those days feel like an eternity. Sort of the way your doctor says, "you may feel a little discomfort.”

The norovirus spread apparently began Sunday when security workers complaining of headaches, stomach pain and…yeah…that too.

About 1,200 people were kept in their rooms during tests, 32 are in quarantine, including three foreigners.

Because the sick workers handled security, 900 military personnel have been brought in to work at 20 venues, including all of the ones where we are in Guangneung until the sick can return to work. Officials have become local Sherlock Holmes to and try track the disease.

People here at the NBC Bureau and all we see are paying more attention to hand sanitizer and the food we eat. Work spaces are wiped clean several times a day.

All of this reminds me a bit of public reaction back in the states. Bottom line, the norovirus outbreak has become political.

Liberals writing in local papers the government could have done more and that the Games will be filled with glitches and mistakes. The lodgings and will be shoddy, the food will be poor, the service spotty; the weather will be too cold and the venues inadequately heated.

Conservatives opine instead of putting on the best Games possible, there will be too much focus by the liberal national government on efforts to engage rival North Korea and cater to their visiting athletes and cheering squads.

Despite the politics, South Koreans I’ve spoken with have criticized the allegedly poor preparations at the Olympics, and what they believe was a slow reaction to initial reports of the virus.

It appears human nature knows no geographical boundaries. Instead of taking personal responsibility, we have to blame someone else.

This isn’t fake news. Norovirus is real. Like Tom Brady said about losing, “It sucks. It just sucks.” It’s a virus. It will soon be gone.

Until then we will wash our hands until they’re red and clean our work-spaces and computer keyboards until they sparkle. We will pump hand sanitize bottles like we’re priming a well in the desert.

The games will go on. South Korea will shine as brightly as the sun on this damn cold Thursday below the 38th Parallel. And for a few hours Friday night, the world will be united. Not by a virus but by the viral possibility humankind could actually love one another without picking up weapons to control one another. It’s a start.​