Viral Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Montana

[Pathfinder]

Viral Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Montana

Written by Daniels County Leader Wednesday, 03 March 2010 14:38

Montana is currently experiencing increased levels of norovirus (a diarrheal type illness) activity, particularly among residents of long-term care facilities and assisted living centers. One of these facilities is in northeast Montana. Daniels Memorial Nursing Home is on heightened alert to prevent the illness from coming into the facility. So far they have not seen any activity of diarrhea illness.

Norovirus is one of the most common causes of diarrhea illness in the United States. Young children and the elderly with chronic illness are the most likely to have complications such as dehydration from this illness.

Daniels Memorial Healthcare Center and Nursing Home in Scobey is asking your assistance in preventing the spread of this illness especially to the long term residents of the facility. Lois Leibrand, RN, Infection Control Officer is requesting that if you are ill or even have a family member in your home that is ill with diarrhea or flu like symptoms please postpone visits to the nursing home until you or your family member is well again.

There are some things the public can do to prevent from getting or spreading norovirus. The first (and this is no big surprise) wash your hands frequently especially before eating, before leaving the restroom and before visiting any resident at the nursing home. The next thing to do is stay home if you are ill and remain at home for at least 24 hours after the symptoms disappear. The last thing is to keep hard surfaces clean by washing them with a chlorine solution daily. The solution is 1/3 cup of fresh bleach in 1 gallon of water. Mary Nyhus, County Health Officer recommends that you make up only enough solution to last one day.

Since January 1, 2010, The Montana Department of Health and Human Services reports a total of five different outbreaks occurring in five separate Montana communities that have sickened approximately 165 residents and staff. Additionally, there have been reports and confirmed cases in six counties around the state.

Noroviruses are highly contagious and as few as 10 viral particles may be sufficient to infect an individual. There are several modes of transmission including person-to-person and environmentally by picking the virus up from a hard surface. Immunity appears to last only a few months, so re-infection is likely if exposed again to the virus.

If there are any questions, call Mary Nyhus, Daniels County Public Health at 783-7554, Lois Leibrand, Daniels Memorial Infection Control Officer at 487-2296, or your health care provider. More information about norovirus can be found on the CDC website, www.cdc.gov. ?Mary Nyhus, D.C. Public Health

http://www.northeastmontananews.com/...der&Itemid=125<!-- JOM COMMENT START -->

[Pathfinder]

Re: Viral Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Montana

Norovirus spreading again in valley

Posted: Saturday, March 6, 2010 2:00 am
CANDACE CHASE/Daily Inter Lake

Norovirus, a nasty illness causing vomiting and diarrhea, has sickened people in the Flathead Valley and across Montana, triggering a warning Friday from health officials.

A press release urged people to practice good hand and food-handling hygiene and to stay home if they are ill to slow the spread of this highly contagious virus.

County Public Health Officer Joe Russell said his department began looking into a possible outbreak several weeks ago.

?We had 15 people attending a function come down ill,? he said.

Russell said the department investigated the cases that began after a gathering at a restaurant but determined food was not responsible. He said the bug may have spread from something like a virus-contaminated utensil that many people handled.

Narrowing down the suspect disease was simple.

?We find noro one way ? symptoms,? Russell said. ?You generally don?t get a fever. You get vomiting and diarrhea. These together form a red flag.?

Symptoms develop suddenly then spread easily in households or group settings. Not considered a serious disease, norovirus usually lasts from one to three days.

?It?s self-limiting but people get extremely sick,? Russell said. ?I?ve had people say, ?This was the worst two days I?ve had in a long time.??

The virus can pose a serious threat to the elderly, very young or people with weak immune systems. Russell said they may become dehydrated, leading to serious complications including death.

Russell said the norovirus has been circulating in the Flathead Valley for years. He recalled a widespread outbreak about 14 years ago.

?Noro is just endemic,? Russell said. ?It never leaves a community.?

In earlier years, the virus was called Norwalk then Norwalk-type virus until it was deemed norovirus. Like cold or rhinoviruses, norovirus actually refers to a group of viruses that cause gastroenteritis. It?s called stomach flu by some people but it has no relationship to influenza.

It became notorious when incidents of wide-spread illness were covered by national news media.

?This is cruise-ship disease,? Russell said. ?It takes just one person strategically located to make a whole lot of people sick.?

Because norovirus spreads so easily, he said the health department reacts quickly to reports of illness associated with a food purveyor. They ask people who got sick about what they ate and what they didn?t eat when they became ill to determine if it?s related to a particular food.

Nationwide, many norovirus outbreaks have been traced to food handled by one infected person.

Russell said his inspectors make sure restaurants understand that people who have been ill must not handle any food and that they must strictly follow all health regulations.

?We try to be preventative,? he said.

According to a Centers for Disease Control fact sheet, even people at home who have been ill should not handle food for at least three days after their symptoms disappear. Russell and the CDC site said people may remain contagious for as long as two weeks after they recover.

People don?t develop long-lasting immunity because of the many different strains of norovirus.

?It?s a pretty robust virus,? Russell said.

To most effectively kill the virus on nonporous surfaces, wipe with a solution of one-third cup of bleach to a gallon of water. This virus is less susceptible to alcohol and detergents.

There is no vaccine to prevent norovirus infections. Antibiotics have no effect on norovirus.

Health officials say people with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea should drink plenty of fluids, stay home, wash hands often and not prepare food for others for at least three days after recovery.

Russell said that the norovirus may actively spread in a community for weeks or months. He recalled a bad outbreak in Butte a few years ago that swept through nursing homes and persisted for months.

He urged people to follow all the recommendations, particularly washing hands often.

?All it takes is one person with good hygiene practices to start to stop the disease,? he said. ?If everyone does this, it acts like a vaccine by limiting transmission.?

Beyond the Flathead, norovirus cases have been confirmed in Cascade, Chouteau, Lewis & Clark, Park, Roosevelt, Teton, Valley and Yellowstone counties.

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_fb62a080-28c2-11df-b92d-001cc4c03286.html

[Pathfinder]

Re: Viral Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Montana

March 12th 2010 <!--span class="terms"></span-->
Virus is in Big Sky

By Laura Bell

Norovirus is occurring in many parts of Montana, health officials said and it has been pretty relevant in Big Sky. Many school-age children have been affected by the virus.

This condition is characterized by the sudden onset of vomiting and diarrhea and spreads easily, especially in households and group gatherings.

The key to preventing norovirus is simple, officials stress. Practicing good hand hygiene, observing appropriate food-handling procedures and staying home if you are sick are all effective ways to prevent the spread of norovirus.

?All people need to do is remember to wash their hands adequately,? said DPHHS Director Anna Whiting Sorrell. ?While this infection is highly transmissible, good hygiene practices can really make a difference in reducing the spread of norovirus.?

The disease, which lasts only one to three days, is usually not serious, although sometimes people become dehydrated and may need special medical attention. Dehydration problems are usually seen among the very young, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.
...

Full story at:

http://www.thebigskyweekly.com/node/566

[Pathfinder]

Re: Viral Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Montana

<TABLE class=Box_68047968_Tb cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="98%" border=0><TBODY><TR align=right><TD width="100%"></TD></TR><TR align=left><TD class=Box_68047968_Td width="100%">Posted: Friday, 19 March 2010 4:35PM

Health Officials Warn of Gastrointestinal Illness Caused by Norovirus



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Flathead health officials say a nasty gastrointestinal illness is going around, and it's caused by norovirus.

Norovirus is a group of viruses spread by direct contact with people or contaminated surfaces. It can also be spread through food and water.

Flathead City-County Health officials say it's very easy to catch, and with symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, doctors say this is one to avoid.

"If you've got that church potluck coming up on sunday and you don't feel good, find someone else to provide the food," Joe Russell said. "It's just a little too risky. These are things that keep this disease in our community."

So, what's the best thing to do if you get norovirus? Doctors say you should stay home if you think you have it, and wait two to three days before going back to work.

http://www.kcfw.com/pages/6616470.php

[Pathfinder]

Re: Viral Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Montana

Health officials issue norovirus alert

Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010 2:00 am | Updated: 9:24 pm, Fri Mar 19, 2010.
CANDACE CHASE/Daily Inter Lake

Flathead City-County Health Department officials have issued an alert that norovirus cases continue to climb in the Flathead Valley.

County Health Officer Joe Russell said Friday that his department has received numerous calls about gastrointestinal illness involving nausea, vomiting and diarrhea ? symptoms of norovirus.


Russell said the department had at least one case of norovirus confirmed by lab testing. He said the virus normally is diagnosed solely by symptoms.

He was particularly concerned that food handlers who become ill heed the warning and wait two to three days after all symptoms cease before returning to work.

?Getting norovirus in food handlers could really elevate the problem,? he said.

The virus can be spread in contaminated food or water or by direct contact between people or with contaminated surfaces. Russell added that caregivers also need to make certain they wait two to three days before returning to work following a bout of gastrointestinal illness.

?If norovirus gets into a nursing home environment, it could be devastating,? he said. ?It?s pretty contagious.?

In a press release, the department recommends that people:

Wash hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers, caring for an ill person, before eating and before preparing food.

Stay home when ill.

Wait 48 to 72 hours after symptoms end before visiting anyone in the hospital, nursing-care facility or assisted living or at home due to a medical condition.

Wait 48 to 72 hours before preparing or sharing food outside the household such as a group gathering or bake sale.

Clean environmental surfaces with the appropriate cleaner or bleach solution.

The health department?s Web site, www.flatheadhealth.org, has several helpful links available by clicking the health alerts button.
/.../

Read more at:

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_173f1622-33d0-11df-a11f-001cc4c03286.html