Norovirus - New Zealand - Norovirus epidemic sweeping the country

[Sally Furniss]

Norovirus epidemic sweeping the country

17 March 2006 <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="5"><tbody><tr><td height="5"></td></tr></tbody></table>
Health experts are warning that norovirus outbreaks are on the increase and are sweeping the country.

The latest case has seen the closure of Nelson College yesterday after about 100 students were suspected to be infected.
Nelson's senior health protection officer Geoff Cameron said, based on the symptoms, it was likely to be norovirus, but this could not be confirmed until lab results were returned next week.
Environmental Science and Research (ESR) communicable disease science leader Gail Greening said today the instances of norovirus outbreaks had increased over the last few years.
"We had a big year in 2004, a bit like overseas countries had a big year and there were a lot of outbreaks in New Zealand in 2004. Last year was a quieter year, (but) this year it seems to be on the increase again."
Norovirus is found in the faeces and vomit of infected people and people can be infected through direct contact with another person who is sick; through eating contaminated food, or touching surfaces and objects contaminated with the virus.
The symptoms often begin suddenly and include vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach-aches. People may also have a fever, chills, headache and muscle aches.

The illness is usually brief, with symptoms lasting about one or two days. Children tended to have more vomiting than adults.
Dr Greening said she did not know the reason for the increase.
"We have what is called `global strains' that seem to go from the United States to Europe and they do move around ? and we have very similar strains to Australia.
"But why we have the peaks and drops in prevalence, we're not totally sure why."
Dr Greening said it could be different strains circulating that people have not developed an immunity to.
The higher rate could also be attributed to more instances being recorded due to increased awareness of the disease.
"But I think personally we have seen an increase and there seems to be more outbreaks everywhere."
The virus more often strikes groups of people living in close quarters, she said.
"Like rest homes, hotels and institutions because of the way it (the virus) spreads.
Dr Greening said the virus can survive and stay infectious on surfaces for several weeks.
"Once there is an outbreak around you get this epidemic spread from people secondary spreading it (the virus) from person to person as well as the initial case, which could be from eating contaminated food."
Dr Greening said the best way to avoid becoming ill from the norovirus was simply "very good personal hygiene".

"And if you are sick, keeping away from other people and not going and coughing and vomiting over people."
She said if places like boarding schools or hospitals experience an outbreak, they have to be closed down.
"Because it has to be a quarantine situation to clean everything down and keep infected people away from others so they don't spread it."
She said that in elderly or vulnerable people, the virus can be deadly.
"In some cases it can be the last straw because it's just so traumatic on the body."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3607387a7144,00.html

[Sally Furniss]

Re: New Zealand: Norovirus epidemic sweeping the country

Wash your hands - Gastro still prevalent

Tuesday, 21 March 2006, 9:46 am
Press Release: Bay Of Plenty DHB<!--first blockquote gone!--> 21 March 2006Wash your hands - Gastro still prevalent in community
The highly infectious gastroenteritis, or stomach bug as it is more commonly known, is still prevalent in the Bay of Plenty, more than one month after it first closed some wards at Tauranga Hospital.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board Infectious Diseases Specialist, Dr Brian Dwyer says that the public is reminded that norovirus is highly infectious, and control is best achieved by isolation while experiencing symptoms, followed by strict hand washing after using a toilet and again before preparing or serving food.
"Please wash your hands to prevent passing this bug on to your family members and your work colleagues," says Dr Dwyer.
"People in the community who have caught the virus should not return to work or school until they have been without symptoms for 48 hours to help prevent passing the bug on to others."
Since mid-February Tauranga Hospital's Emergency Department has seen an increased steady flow of people of all ages presenting with gastroenteritis, and has been managing the treatment of each patient carefully to avoid spreading the virus through the hospital.
However, despite the hospital's strict infection control measures, the virus has reappeared within the hospital, causing the closure of Ward Seven to new admissions and transfers.
The hospital is urging families with members who may have gastroenteritis to avoid visiting friends and family in hospital while symptoms persist. It has also requested that any rest homes and other facilities for the care of the elderly currently experiencing an outbreak should notify the hospital if they have patients for transfer.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0603/S00066.htm

[Sally Furniss]

Re: New Zealand: Norovirus epidemic sweeping the country

Valuable lessons gleaned from norovirus

22 March 2006
By NAOMI MITCHELL

Lessons learnt from the suspected norovirus outbreak that closed Nelson College last Friday will be vital in coping with a bird flu pandemic, health officials say.
Nelson Marlborough District Health Board primary and community general manager Peter Burton said while a flu pandemic would be "a lot more widespread", the norovirus outbreak was a good indication of what might happen.
The outbreak highlighted the need to keep away from others if you were sick, wash and dry hands often and stay away from the emergency department unless it was an emergency, he said.
It also emphasised the need for people who take care of themselves or sick people at home, to have adequate supplies of paracetamol, food, water and tissues, he said.
Public Health and schools worked very well together during the outbreak, he said.
"It is exactly what we would hope is the case with a pandemic influenza."
Mr Burton was surprised at the amount of media interest the outbreak created, but said it highlighted a need to keep people informed.
"The need to communicate well during an influenza pandemic about what is going on, and what to do, is a fundamental part."
Norovirus is highly contagious.
People can be infected through direct contact with another person who is sick, through eating contaminated food, or touching surfaces and objects contaminated with the virus.

Nelson general medical practitioners' spokesman Graham Loveridge said there was one important message people should have learnt from the outbreak: "wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands".
"All the drugs in the world won't be a match for the very basics."
Nelson College headmaster Salvi Gargiulo said the pupils had learnt "first hand" the need to stay away from school if they were sick, to avoid spreading the virus.
They had also learnt the importance of regular hand-washing. The school has permanently installed anti-bacterial hand gel dispensers, which Mr Gargiulo said students were now using frequently.
"It is how we can stop these things spreading. It is the same with all the bugs."
Laboratory results indicating whether the outbreak was caused by norovirus are expected later this week.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/nelsonmail/0,2106,3612522a6510,00.html