COMMUNICATIONS

Norovirus Closes Two Hospital Wards

Norovirus has this week caused the closure of a ward at Christchurch Hospital and another at The Princess Margaret Hospital. No new patients are currently being admitted to these wards and family and friends are advised to visit only if essential. Children are asked not to visit.

The virus causes stomach upsets, vomiting and diarrhoea. It is prevalent in the community at this time of year, along with other gastrointestinal bugs.

The patients and staff who have become ill at both hospitals have developed symptoms since last Friday. The bug is known to have affected 16 patients and 10 staff at The Princess Margaret Hospital and seven staff and 13 patients at Christchurch Hospital. “There have also been visitors coming into the hospital with vomiting and diarrhoea,” Diana Warren, a spokesperson for The Princess Margaret Hospital said. “Norovirus is always in the community but it seems to be quite prevalent at the moment with the numbers that we are seeing,” she said.

Members of the public are asked not to visit hospital patients if they have had active symptoms of gastroenteritis in the previous 48 hours. They should also expect to be asked to take simple precautions to protect themselves and others if they are visiting affected wards. Children, elderly and frail visitors are advised not to visit wards where there is known to be norovirus.

“Despite its prevalence, we take Norovirus very seriously because of the effect it can have on people who are already sick,” Canterbury District Health Board Chief Medical Officer Nigel Millar said. “Each infected person is isolated from patients who do not have the bug as soon as they are identified,” he said.

One of the greatest problems with Norovirus is the ease with which it spreads. Merely being in the same room as someone who vomits can be enough to become infected. It is one of the most highly infectious viruses requiring a mere 1 to 10 viral particles to infect someone. To add to that it is very hardy and can survive for up to 48 hours on hard surfaces.

CDHB staff are working hard to take all possible measures to protect patients from this outbreak of norovirus.

ENDS