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Norovirus Quarantine Spreads To Hospital

hawkeye

Well-known member
I'm assuming the two people that were hospitalized from the assisted-living home are the ones listed here in this article:
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14014


Norovirus Quarantine Spreads To Hospital
Dec. 11 - KGO - An entire wing of the San Mateo Medical Center is quarantined after staff began to report symptoms of the Norovirus. Meanwhile, a nearby senior facility remains under quarantine.

Doctors say by itself the Norovirus is not fatal but it can cause the body to become weaker and can complicate existing conditions and that's why San Mateo County is taking this outbreak so seriously. The virus is very contagious through direct touch, but doctors say it can also be airborne contagious.

We now have four more confirmed cases at the San Mateo Medical Center. Nineteen other people have symptoms. Two of those people live at a senior facility where quarantines residents say they think the county is going overboard and they're losing their patience.

Isolation and a full-fledged lockdown -- that's how Ed Nightingale describes the past six days at Bonnie Brae Terrace, an affordable housing complex for seniors and the disabled.

San Mateo County quarantined residents after half of them and a handful of staff reported symptoms of Norovirus. Ed says he hasn't been sick at all.

Ed Nightingale, Bonnie Brae resident: "I'm very frustrated. If it wasn't for this right out here, I would not be able to come out of my room."

Ed managed to sneak out onto a patio where we also found Nancy Breech lingering to have a few cigarettes. She's one of at least 80 residents who got sick.

Nancy Breech, Bonnie Brae resident: "Achy all over. I had sweats, I had chills, diarrhea, extreme vomiting."

That was 10 days ago. Nancy says she's fine now but the virus has popped up just a few miles away at the San Mateo Medical Center. Twelve patients there have Norovirus symptoms and 11 members of the nursing staff are also sick. Ten of those 12 patients remain quarantined in the hospital's long-term unit. Most are elderly.

Dr. Alvaro Garza, San Mateo Cty. Dep. Health officer: "It can cause dehydration, so we're much more worried about complications, such as dying from dehydration, or in folks who have other diseases, chronic diseases & heart, lungs, kidneys, etc."

The hospital ordered heightened infection control in that particular wing -- gowns, masks and constant hand-washing.

Back at the Bonnie Brae, food deliveries are left at the front desk and Nancy Breech doesn't go anywhere without her hand sanitizer.

Nancy Breech, Bonnie Brae resident: "When I go in, I'll put this on again. I'll use this, even use it on my key. I'm even trying not to touch the doors except with my elbow."

Dr. Garza admits a full fledged quarantine would be less likely if the Norovirus outbreak occurred at a typical apartment complex rather than a senior facility. But so far only 4 of the 23 cases at the San Mateo County Medical Center have been confirmed as Norovirus. The county doesn't know if the two outbreaks are related but they say the quarantines will remain in effect until no new cases have been reported for three days.
 
Re: Norovirus Quarantine Spreads To Hospital

Hospital sealed off over viral outbreak
Norovirus spread from Belmont living center to San Mateo County facility
By Kelly Pakula, Aaron Kinney and Rebekah Gordon, STAFF WRITERS,
Article Last Updated:12/12/2006 02:33:58 AM PST

BELMONT ? A debilitating intestinal virus that has forced the quarantine of an independent living facility has infected several people at the San Mateo County Hospital.

About 80 of the 150 residents at Bonnie Brae Terrace in Belmont contracted the Norovirus last week. The San Mateo County Health Department was contacted by the facility last Tuesday after several residents reported suffering from diarrhea and nausea, Health Department spokeswoman Beverly Thames said.

At the San Mateo Medical Center lab results have confirmed Norovirus cases in three patients and one staff member. David Hook, the medical center's spokesman, said he could not confirm if any Bonnie Brae residents were treated at the medical center.

Hook said, since last week, nine patients and 10 staff members have shown Norovirus symptoms. Their cases are still pending lab results.

Norovirus is found in stool and vomit and causes flu-like symptoms. The virus is easily transmitted by touching a surface contaminated by an infected person or by sharing food, drinks or utensils.

The patient cases at the hospital are primarily confined to Unit 1A, one of the medical center's long-term care units.

Hook said all visitors are barred from the unit until further notice and patients needing admittance for long-term care instead will be sent to Burlingame Long-Term Care, a facility the medical center operates, or other clinics operated by the county.

Edith Frederickson, a resident of Bonnie Brae, said she came down with the Norovirus on Dec. 1. She said the symptoms lasted several days.

"It came on all of the sudden," Frederickson said. "It was explosive. It was a really bad case of the flu."

Thames said officials from the Health Department visited the community Wednesday and Friday. A quarantine was issued.

Bonnie Brae residents are confined to their rooms and visitors are not allowed, said Thames. The dining room at the facility was closed and all social activities have been canceled.

The Health Department will host a news conference today to discuss the spread of the Norovirus. The conference is at the Health Department Administration Offices at 225 37th Ave., Room 100, in San Mateo.
 
Re: Norovirus Quarantine Spreads To Hospital

Posted: Tuesday, 12 December 2006 9:19AM

San Mateo Health Officials Investigate Two Norovirus Outbreaks

SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KCBS) -- Health officials hope the worst is behind them in the battle to contain two outbreaks of the Norovirus, a gastrointestinal virus that produces flu-like symptoms and diarrhea.

Two dozen staff and patients at the San Mateo Medical Center, mostly in the long-term care wing, remain quarantined after contracting the virus.



Investigators have not determined whether this outbreak is connected to an outbreak at a Belmont Senior Center over the weekend.
 
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