We definitely have an outbreak'
Capital Health issues Norwalk virus warning as hospitals across metro close to visitors
By Jessica Patterson
Special to The Daily News
The Norwalk virus has spread in metro, closing the Dartmouth General and parts of other Capital Health buildings to visitors.
"We definitely have an outbreak, and it's in several of our Capital Health facilities," said Sheila MacDonald, the manager for Capital Health Infection Control.
Along with the Dartmouth General, the Abbie J. Lane building at the Halifax Infirmary site is closed to visitors.
The eighth floor of the Halifax Infirmary and floor 4A in the Centennial Building at the Victoria General Hospital are closed to visitors. At the QEII Health Sciences Centre's emergency department, they are allowing only one family member per patient into the department.
Capital Health is asking the public not to visit the hospitals if they are or have been ill, or if they have family members who are ill.
Norovirus commonly causes outbreaks in closed settings, where transmission is easy.
"It's really quite easily spread and it doesn't take a great deal to infect you. Mostly it spreads by direct contact with an individual who is sick, or it can also be spread indirectly by touching contaminated surfaces," she said. "It is very contagious."
Hard to track
Norovirus is not a trackable disease, Capital Health medical officer Robert Strang said yesterday.
"It's not a reportable disease, so there's no systematic way that we can report on it," Strang said. "Anecdotally, we've had reports of outbreaks at hospitals, long-term care facilities and daycares in the last few weeks.
"It seems to be across the province that we're seeing this," he said. "This isn't something new, but we see these outbreaks of this type of illness every year, typically in the fall and winter months," Strang said.
Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
In some cases, people can experience a low-grade fever, headaches and muscle aches. But "it's relatively short-lived. Symptoms usually abate in 24 to 48 hours and recovery is usually complete," MacDonald said.
Confused with flu
"Sometimes people will call it the stomach flu, because it affects the gastrointestinal system, not the respiratory system, so they call it the stomach flu. That's not usually a term we use in the health-care system," MacDonald said.
The flu virus, influenza A, is a respiratory virus and not related to norovirus.
To prevent further spread, Capital Health recommends staying away from those who are sick with the virus and frequent handwashing.
Capital Health issues Norwalk virus warning as hospitals across metro close to visitors
By Jessica Patterson
Special to The Daily News
The Norwalk virus has spread in metro, closing the Dartmouth General and parts of other Capital Health buildings to visitors.
"We definitely have an outbreak, and it's in several of our Capital Health facilities," said Sheila MacDonald, the manager for Capital Health Infection Control.
Along with the Dartmouth General, the Abbie J. Lane building at the Halifax Infirmary site is closed to visitors.
The eighth floor of the Halifax Infirmary and floor 4A in the Centennial Building at the Victoria General Hospital are closed to visitors. At the QEII Health Sciences Centre's emergency department, they are allowing only one family member per patient into the department.
Capital Health is asking the public not to visit the hospitals if they are or have been ill, or if they have family members who are ill.
Norovirus commonly causes outbreaks in closed settings, where transmission is easy.
"It's really quite easily spread and it doesn't take a great deal to infect you. Mostly it spreads by direct contact with an individual who is sick, or it can also be spread indirectly by touching contaminated surfaces," she said. "It is very contagious."
Hard to track
Norovirus is not a trackable disease, Capital Health medical officer Robert Strang said yesterday.
"It's not a reportable disease, so there's no systematic way that we can report on it," Strang said. "Anecdotally, we've had reports of outbreaks at hospitals, long-term care facilities and daycares in the last few weeks.
"It seems to be across the province that we're seeing this," he said. "This isn't something new, but we see these outbreaks of this type of illness every year, typically in the fall and winter months," Strang said.
Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
In some cases, people can experience a low-grade fever, headaches and muscle aches. But "it's relatively short-lived. Symptoms usually abate in 24 to 48 hours and recovery is usually complete," MacDonald said.
Confused with flu
"Sometimes people will call it the stomach flu, because it affects the gastrointestinal system, not the respiratory system, so they call it the stomach flu. That's not usually a term we use in the health-care system," MacDonald said.
The flu virus, influenza A, is a respiratory virus and not related to norovirus.
To prevent further spread, Capital Health recommends staying away from those who are sick with the virus and frequent handwashing.
