Thread: Norovirus

Just heard on Foxnews the nasty norovirus is spreading like wildfire in Great Britain. It is highly contagious and results in symptoms including constant vomiting and can be deadly. There are over 200,000 new cases every week which is overwhelming hospitals with many forced to turn people away. There are several counties in the US as Montgomery county in Maryland which are seeing outbreaks as well. Hmmmm...... more consequences of open borders and third world diseases?????????? If this is true, cheap labor and profits again have taken precedence over the health and wellbeing of the American people.

The winter vomiting bug is sweeping through schools and hospitals
Hospitals and schools have been hit by the winter vomiting virus as figures show the norovirus has taken hold across the UK.

By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
Last Updated: 12:38AM GMT 16 Dec 2008

People who have been ill are being asked to stay away from hospitals in an attempt to keep wards operating normally and stop patients who are already ill and vulnerable from contracting it.

GPs have also urged people to stay at home and not visit the surgery if they get symptoms unless they are elderly, very young or have long-term illnesses, as this spreads the bug further.

The winter vomiting bug has taken hold at the same time seasonal flu is now circulating meaning health services will be under extra pressure over the Christmas period.

The norovirus bug is not normally dangerous but is extremely contagious and can spread rapidly through wards, classrooms, hotels and cruise ships.

It causes violent sickness and is most common through the winter months.

Professor Steve Field, president of the Royal College of General Practitioners said if people stay at home and drink plenty of fluids the spread of the bug can be minimised.

He said: "Obviously we worry about very young babies, the very old and people who are immunocompromised, but generally you do not need to go and see your doctor."

Thorough hand washing after using the lavatory is vital to halt the spread and frequent hand washing and disposing of tissues after use also helps to prevent others catching flu.

Last year saw record levels of norovirus with an estimated five million people struck down as the season started abnormally early and lasting into February.

This year is not expected to be as bad and since July there have been 1337 cases confirmed by laboratory testing carried out by the HPA, compared with 1661 cases confirmed in the same period last year.

Reporting of cases to the HPA is voluntary meaning the laboratory cases are an underestimate.

The HPA estimates that between 600,000 and one million fall ill each year.

Professor Mike Catchpole, Director of the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Infections, said: "Norovirus is highly infectious and easily spread in settings where people are in close contact with one another so good hygiene, including frequent handwashing, is really important.

"Unfortunately there is no specific treatment for norovirus apart from letting the illness run its course. Thankfully most people will make a full recovery within 1-2 days but it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time to prevent dehydration especially in the very young or elderly."

Hospitals and schools around the country have been struggling to contain outbreaks of the disease.

Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital has been hit with cases, along with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals in Norfolk.

Visitors are being asked to stay away from York Hospital if they have had symptoms of the illness in the last 48 hours as wards have been shut and staff struck down with the bug.

The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, in Exeter, has already had two outbreaks among patients and staff.

University of North Staffordshire Hospital has some wards closed to new patients.

The Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading is also asking visitors to stay away if they have been ill and University Hospital Coventry has had wards closed to new patients in the last two weeks due to the bug.

Scarborough Hospital have had cases among patients along with Torbay Hospital and the Royal Hampshire Country Hospital in Winchester.

Patients at Kidderminster Hospital, the Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Alexandra Hospital in Redditch have been struck with norovirus.

Addenbrooke's in Cambridge has had wards shut and bosses at James Paget University Hospital, in Great Yarmouth, have asked visitors who have been ill to stay away after reports of the virus in local schools and nearby hospitals.

Wards have been shut at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital and at Christchurch Hospital.

Other hospitals including Bedford Hospital, Manor Hospital in Walsall, and Wigton Hospital in Cumbria, have suffered outbreaks recently but are understood to be
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healt ... itals.html


Moving to other topics