Hilo Hospital Battles Norovirus Outbreak
For about a week, three staff members and seven patients have been isolated at Hilo Medical Center. Visitations have been restricted so nobody else comes down with the norovirus.
"Until we see one or two days where we don't see anybody getting sick, we'll keep it up. So we want to err on the side of caution," said John Halloran, the infection control director at Hilo Medical Center.
Wednesday was the first day the highly contagious stomach virus didn't spread. That's because the hospital kicked into action.
"Standard protocol is put people together that have been exposed, because they are not going to re-expose each other with the same virus," said Joe Elm, supervisor of disease investigators for the state Department of Health. "So they cohort the people together and institute good hygiene practices."
Hand washing is the number one way to prevent the spread of norovirus, which causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Hand-hygiene was the solution this January when almost 300 people on their way to Hawaii fell ill from the virus on the Queen Elizabeth II.
"What they did was ensure you couldn't touch the food. Serving staff touched the food for you. They put it on your plate in the buffet line," said a passenger from the cruise ship this past January.
In the U.S., the norovirus kills about 300 people a year - very few, considering it is responsible for half of all stomach woes.
"It's around us all the time. Last year, every single month we had norovirus activity," said Elm.
Even when someone infected starts feeling better, they can still spread it for up to two weeks. The Department of Health recommends washing your hands with soap and hot water or using a hand sanitizer with more than 63 percent alcohol.
For about a week, three staff members and seven patients have been isolated at Hilo Medical Center. Visitations have been restricted so nobody else comes down with the norovirus.
"Until we see one or two days where we don't see anybody getting sick, we'll keep it up. So we want to err on the side of caution," said John Halloran, the infection control director at Hilo Medical Center.
Wednesday was the first day the highly contagious stomach virus didn't spread. That's because the hospital kicked into action.
"Standard protocol is put people together that have been exposed, because they are not going to re-expose each other with the same virus," said Joe Elm, supervisor of disease investigators for the state Department of Health. "So they cohort the people together and institute good hygiene practices."
Hand washing is the number one way to prevent the spread of norovirus, which causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Hand-hygiene was the solution this January when almost 300 people on their way to Hawaii fell ill from the virus on the Queen Elizabeth II.
"What they did was ensure you couldn't touch the food. Serving staff touched the food for you. They put it on your plate in the buffet line," said a passenger from the cruise ship this past January.
In the U.S., the norovirus kills about 300 people a year - very few, considering it is responsible for half of all stomach woes.
"It's around us all the time. Last year, every single month we had norovirus activity," said Elm.
Even when someone infected starts feeling better, they can still spread it for up to two weeks. The Department of Health recommends washing your hands with soap and hot water or using a hand sanitizer with more than 63 percent alcohol.