North Carolina - Norovirus cases 2013

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Posted: Thursday, January 24, 2013 7:43 am
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Norovirus crops up in North Carolina
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Kelly Poe/News & ObserverWinston-Salem Journal
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RALEIGH -- A new strain of norovirus could make this a busy year for the nasty intestinal disease.

Seven outbreaks have been confirmed across North Carolina so far in 2013, including in Wake County, and state health officials are trying to prevent more, said Dr. Zack Moore, a medical epidemiologist for the state health department. Norovirus is a group of viruses that typically cause severe diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain, most commonly in winter months.

?The emphasis is on working with local health departments and making sure it?s stopped,? Moore said. ?Most of our outbreaks are in old folks? homes, and we?ve unfortunately had quite a bit of experience in stopping it in those settings.?
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http://www.journalnow.com/news/state_region/article_a6f61012-6623-11e2-8d91-0019bb30f31a.html

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Re: North Carolina - Norovirus cases 2013

Health alert on UNC campus

Updated at 06:06 PM today
Jon Camp

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- More than 65 people have gotten sick on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill and doctors say they're not exactly sure why.

Patients have come to the emergency room or the campus health services center complaining of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
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Samples have been sent to the state for norovirus testing. The school, we're told, is looking at the food side as some of the students have complained of getting sick after eating at campus cafeterias.
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Norovirus tests are expected back Monday.
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Read more at: http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?se....QrHdumXA.dpuf

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Re: North Carolina - Norovirus cases 2013

Posted: 12:06 p.m. today
Updated: 36 minutes ago

Norovirus sickens dozens of UNC-CH students

Chapel Hill, N.C. ? Norovirus has spread across the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus in recent days, leaving dozens of students with flu-like symptoms, health officials said Monday.

Students have sought medical attention for vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and fever since last week, said Stacy Shelp, spokeswoman of the Orange County Health Department. The number of cases has declined since hitting a peak Wednesday and Thursday, she said.

More...

http://www.wral.com/dozens-at-unc-report-flu-like-symptoms/12179635/

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UNC disinfecting to support norovirus

Posted: Mar 04, 2013 4:18 PM CST Updated: Mar 04, 2013 4:18 PM CST
By WNCN Staff

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
Three out of five samples tested positive for norovirus at the University of North Carolina, so dining and housing areas at UNC will be treated with disinfecting and cleaning materials designed to attack norovirus.

The tests ruled out e. coli and salmonella.

More...

http://www.wncn.com/story/21472167/unc-disinfecting-to-support-norovirus

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Re: North Carolina - Norovirus cases 2013

Media Contact:
Stacy Shelp, Public Information Officer
Phone: 919.245.2462
sshelp@orangecountync.gov
Communicable Disease Contact:
Judy Butler, Community Health Services Supervisor
Phone: 919.245.2425
Butler@orangecountync.gov

GASTROINTESTINAL OUBREAK ON UNC CAMPUS LINKED TO NOROVIRUS

Orange County, NC (March 4, 2013) ? Between the dates of February 27, 2013 and March 1, 2013 approximately 85 UNC-Chapel Hill students sought medical care for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or fever. The Orange County Health Department has been working closely with the University and the State to identify the cause of the outbreak.

An electronic survey was sent out to students seen by Campus Health Service in an effort to identify a possible common exposure. 50 surveys were returned with no single meal or venue indicated as a likely source of the exposures.

Three of five stool samples sent to the NC State Laboratory of Public Health to be tested for norovirus were positive. Samples tested for salmonella, shigella, campylobacter and shiga-toxin producing ecoli and all were negative.

As of 5:00 p.m. today, Campus Health Services reported seeing five students for gastrointestinal issues. This is considered to be normal for this time of year and not necessarily related to last week?s outbreak. As a preventative measure, Campus Dining and Campus Housing will utilize additional disinfecting measures specifically to eliminate norovirus in facilities where students have been ill.

Individuals can help prevent norovirus with proper hand washing and cleaning of commonly touched surfaces with bleach- based cleaning supplies. Foodhandlers should not work in food service until symptom-free for 72 hours after experiencing a noro-like illness.

Norovirus information resources:

NC Division of Public Health

http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/cd/diseases/norovirus.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

http://www.cdc.gov/features/norovirus/

http://www.alertcarolina.unc.edu/external/content/document/1395/1716375/1/outbreak030412.pdf

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Re: North Carolina - Norovirus cases 2013

Stomach virus still plaguing Cabarrus

Posted: Thursday, March 28, 2013 3:30 pm

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. ? A stomach virus, known as the norovirus, continues to plague people across Cabarrus County and around the state, according to health officials.

?School nurses in both Cabarrus County Schools and Kannapolis City Schools are reporting students with vomiting, diarrhea and flu-like symptoms,? according to Kim Ragan and Alice Luttman, school nurse supervisors. ?It?s definitely still out there and parents should be aware of it.?

The Cabarrus Health Alliance (CHA) and the N.C. Department of Health issued a press release this week warning people to take steps to avoid the spread of the illness.

More...

http://www.hickoryrecord.com/independent_tribune/news/article_f68acb9a-97dd-11e2-aafe-001a4bcf6878.html

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Re: North Carolina - Norovirus cases 2013

Norovirus linked to Chapel Hill restaurant

Saturday, June 08, 2013

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- A popular Chapel Hill restaurant has been linked to an outbreak of the norovirus.

Health officials say 41 people reported getting sick in recent weeks after eating at the Nantucket Grill or attending an event catered by the restaurant.

The first illnesses were reported May 7.
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More...

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=9131553