Norovirus - USA - AKA Winter Vomiting Bug - Outbreaks

[eladdie]

Billings
-Billings area now has 400 cases of norovirus
April 7, 2006 08:28 AM

The number of known cases of Norwalk virus in the Billings area has grown to 400. And health officials say that includes about three dozen cases, that cannot be linked to any of three known outbreak sites.
The virus causes vomiting and diarrhea. It surfaced two weeks ago at the Billings Health and Rehabilitation Community, and later appeared at Highgate Senior Living facility.

About 200 residents and staff at those facilities became sick.

On Wednesday, the Golden Corral restaurant in Billings was closed for a "top-to-bottom cleaning," after the buffet restaurant was linked to the outbreak.

Company spokeswoman Pam Ritz said they hoped to reopen this afternoon.http://www.ktvq.com/Global/story.asp?S=4741225

 

[eladdie]

2 Dead - Washington State - Norovirus outbreak

2 Dead - Washington State - Norovirus outbreak

Viral outbreak kills two in Vancouver

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

VANCOUVER, Wash. ? Two elderly people have died in a norovirus outbreak that has sickened more than 40 residents and workers at the Cascade Inn retirement center, authorities said Thursday.
The Olympian - Click Here

Clark County health officials have asked the center?s 180 residents to stay in their rooms and urged friends and family not to visit until the outbreak runs its course.

Center operators have canceled all social activities.

The voluntary quarantine will remain in effect until four days after the last new diagnosis ? perhaps another week, said Marni Storey, manager of the county health department?s infectious disease program.

One of the patients died late Wednesday and the other Thursday morning, officials said.

Tests completed Thursday identified a norovirus as the cause of the illnesses, Storey said.

Most of those sickened ? 31 ? were residents and 15 were on the center?s staff.

The norovirus is common and often takes the form of a mild stomach disorder.

Symptoms can include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. The virus strikes the elderly particularly hard when they suffer from other medical conditions, Storey said.

http://159.54.227.3/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060407/NEWS06/60407030

 

[eladdie]

Re: USA - Norovirus - AKA Winter Vomiting Bug - Outbreaks

Re: USA - Norovirus - AKA Winter Vomiting Bug - Outbreaks

Diarrhea, Vomiting Reported At Guilford Child Care Centers

POSTED: 4:02 pm EST March 30, 2006
UPDATED: 4:21 pm EST March 30, 2006

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Guilford County Department of Public Health is confirming an increased number of diarrhea illnesses in county child-care centers over the past several weeks.

Symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting and fever among children and center workers have occurred in 25 child-care centers, officials said. Some child-care classrooms have experienced multiple incidents of diarrhea.

Six documented cases of laboratory-confirmed rotavirus have been recorded with six children requiring hospitalization. Two documented cases of laboratory-confirmed salmonella have also been recorded, according to officials. A number of unconfirmed cases of rotavirus have been noted.

A letter alerting county pediatricians, family and urgent care practices to this situation was sent Thursday. The letter asks physicians to notify the Department of Public Health if an increase in diarrhea illness or testing is occurring in their offices.

In the meantime, the Department of Public Health is providing child-care centers reminders on good hygiene practices such as following proper hand washing and diaper changing procedures and food handling procedures. However, children and adults who are experiencing diarrhea, vomiting or fever should be seen by their health care provider.

For more information, contact Guilford County Department of Public Health at 641-7777.


http://www.wxii12.com/news/8366080/detail.html

 

[eladdie]

Re: USA - Norovirus - AKA Winter Vomiting Bug - Outbreaks

Re: USA - Norovirus - AKA Winter Vomiting Bug - Outbreaks

One of the signals for h2h is health care workers getting sick. How many news reports have we heard in the past 4 months of hospitals in the UK shutting down due to this bug?

Does anyone recall this (hospital's becoming overwhelmed by this disease) happening on this scale in the past few years?

Could this be H5n1?????



http://www.katu.com/health/story.asp?ID=84924

Hospital Staff Sick, Possibly By The Norovirus

By John Capell
and KATU.com Web Staff

VANCOUVER, Wash. - The number of people getting sick with the Norovirus, or at least exhibiting symptoms of the Norovirus, is growing.

In Vancouver alone, three people have died, more than 100 have gotten sick and it appears the virus is spreading even more.

The latest is that several healthcare workers at Southwest Washington Medical Center were sent home after getting sick.

About The Norovirus

The Norovirus is actually a group of viruses that cause the stomach flu or gastroenteritis. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The illness is usually brief, lasting one to two days. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers kill the virus. Vigorous hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread from person to person. More info from the CDC

"We've had nine hospital employees come down with a Norwalk-like illness, which is the nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever," said Dr. Jack Stump. "Of those employees, they are recovering and we are asking everyone who has an illness like that to stay home for at least 48 hours after their symptoms have stopped."

The Health Department has not confirmed that the illnesses are a result of the Norovirus, but the symptoms are similar.

Cleaning staff at the hospital are now washing everything with a bleach solution, which is the best way to thwart the spread of Norovirus.

At the Cascade Inn Retirement Center in Vancouver, 68 people have reported Norovirus-like symptoms or have been confirmed as having Norovirus. That number includes 23 staff members and one visitor to the facility.

At the Van Mall Retirement Center in Vancouver, there were about 30 cases at last check.

Eight paramedics from American Medical Transport got sick as well and were told not to go back to work.

In Beaverton, the Maryville Nursing Home had about 50 cases that may be the Norovirus.

 

[eladdie]

Re: USA - Norovirus - AKA Winter Vomiting Bug - Outbreaks

Re: USA - Norovirus - AKA Winter Vomiting Bug - Outbreaks

Billings Montana

Is it safe to go to Billings? Norovirus epidemic advise
By Richard S. Buker, Jr., M.D. - Liberty County Health Officer
Wednesday, April 12, 2006 11:53 AM CDT


One of the responsibilities of local public health officers is to keep the community informed about health risks and especially outbreaks of communicable disease. Any one reading the daily newspaper or listening to local radio or television news is aware of the fact that in the last two weeks there has been an unusually severe and widespread outbreak of diarrhea and vomiting in Billings. According to the latest information available at the time of writing this news article (Saturday, April 8th) there have been over 400 cases diagnosed and treated in Billings in the last few days. No one has died of the disease yet but some cases have been so severely dehydrated as to require hospitalization for I.V. fluids to relieve the symptoms.

The cause of this epidemic has been established as being due to Norwalk virus, the same infectious agent that made so many people sick on cruise ships several years ago. Norwalk virus got its name from the town in Ohio where in 1972 it was first identified. However in the past few years people working with this virus abbreviated the name to Norovirus, which is what it is generally called at this time. It is an extraordinarily infectious agent. Ingesting as few as a hundred of the viral particles will cause a person to develop nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea within two days. The disease lasts from two to four days, rarely results in death, and does not respond to any antibiotics. Dehydration and loss of critical salts from the body can be quite severe. The mechanism of transmission is scientifically described as ?fecal-oral?, in other words people with diarrhea fail to properly wash their hands after bowel movements and things that they touch become contaminated and the disease can be transmitted to others who touch the same things. This is the reason that the Golden Corral Restaurant in Billings has been shut down for a complete cleansing from top to bottom (some cases seem to have contacted the disease there), plus careful cleaning of several other places in the city.

What about travel to Billings? One would probably survive the trip, but consistent and meticulous hand washing after touching anything that others have touched would help, and it would not be a bad idea to take your lunch with you.

http://highline.townnews.com/articles/2006/04/12/news/news5.txt

 

[eladdie]

Re: USA - Norovirus - AKA Winter Vomiting Bug - Outbreaks

Re: USA - Norovirus - AKA Winter Vomiting Bug - Outbreaks

pdate: Norovirus Outbreak Continues To Grow
County Reports 189 Cases






VANCOUVER, Wash. -- New numbers released Wednesday afternoon from the Clark County Health Department show 189 confirmed and suspected cases of norovirus illness.

VancouverEighty-seven cases are connected with Cascade Retirement Inn, including 63 residents and 24 staff members. At the Van Mall Retirement Community, 80 cases are reported, including 63 residents and 17 staff members.

Additionally, nine American Medical Response employees, 11 Southwest Washington Medical Center staffers and two Clark County Health Department workers are infected.

Three Cascade residents have died since the outbreak began, but officials say all were elderly and had underlying medical conditions.

In an effort to prevent further spread at the retirement facilities, all surfaces are regularly decontaminated with a bleach solution. Social gatherings have been cancelled, and visitors are discouraged until 48 hours after the last symptoms are reported. Residents are being asked not leave the facility.

Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Anyone experiencing the symptoms is asked to stay home.

"The best way to prevent the spread of noroviruses and many other infectious diseases is to frequently wash your hands. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and running water for 20 seconds. If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based product to clean your hands. Keep your hands away from your face," Marni Storey of the Clark County Health Department said.

http://www.koin.com/news.asp?ID=3392