Massachusetts - Norovirus cases 2010-11

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Tobey Hospital is the Greater Wareham area's major health care resource and a growing...
http://www.southcoast.org/tobey/



Norovirus hits Tobey Hospital


By ANIKA CLARK
aclark@s-t.com
December 10, 2010 12:00 AM


Southcoast Health System is taking extra disinfecting measures and urging public vigilance against germs to stymie a fast-moving bug that left approximately 10 patients isolated in a unit at Tobey Hospital in Wareham Thursday evening.

By the end of the day Tuesday, about seven patients and hospital staff were suspected to have norovirus, according to Joyce Brennan, a spokeswoman for Southcoast Health System. By Thursday afternoon, about 30 people had been identified, she said, including people who'd come to the hospital because of symptoms or staff who'd called in sick.

Read more:
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101210/NEWS/12100312

 

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Re: Massachusetts - Norovirus hits Tobey Hospital

Re: Massachusetts - Norovirus hits Tobey Hospital

If sick, stay away

December 19, 2010

Tobey Hospital officials are asking that people who have gastrointestinal or flu-like symptoms refrain from visiting friends or family at the hospital.

The 60-bed hospital recently dealt with a sudden influx of patients and staff suffering from gastrointestinal illness that was caused by a norovirus. From Dec. 7 to 10, 33 people were identified as having norovirus symptoms...

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2010/12/19/if_sick_stay_away/

 

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Massachusetts - Norovirus cases

Massachusetts - Norovirus cases

Stomach bug on the march on the South Shore

Local schools reporting attendance decline before Christmas vacation week

By Kaitlin Keane
The Patriot Ledger
Posted Dec 21, 2010 @ 07:08 AM


WHITMAN ?
With Christmas vacation week approaching, some South Shore schools are already seeing a dip in attendance as students stay home to fight a stomach virus that has spread like wildfire.

At Whitman Middle School, the percentage of students absent has shot up from 4 percent to 8 to 12 percent, said Principal George Ferrow.

Most parents calling to report their child?s absence have blamed the symptoms of a stomach bug, he said.

?When one student gets it, if they have siblings the whole family will be out,? Ferrow said. ?We have teachers, staff and students out ? it seems to leave no one unscathed.?

More...
http://www.patriotledger.com/lifest...4/Stomach-bug-on-the-march-on-the-South-Shore

 

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Re: Massachusetts - Norovirus cases 2010-11

Uptick in gastrointestinal illness in Boston

Posted by Deborah Kotz December 21, 2010 06:27 PM
<!-- e-mail widget -->
<!-- bdc_emailWidget --><SCRIPT src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/js/bcom_etaf_scripts.js"></SCRIPT>Since the beginning of October, Boston has seen an increase in cases of gastrointestinal illness, including nine clusters at local schools, daycare centers, and a hospital, the Boston Public Health Commission said in a report released today. For the week ending December 18, complaints of vomiting or diarrhea accounted for 2.9 percent of all emergency room visits in the city, compared with 2 percent for the same week in 2009.

The illnesses have been linked to norovirus, a common and easily spread viral infection that causes severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It usually causes no serious illness and resolves on its own in about two days, says Dr. Anita Barry, director of the infectious disease bureau at the health commission. She told me samples from two clusters that were tested by the federal government confirmed the presence of the virus. It's often referred to as the "cruise ship" virus since it's been known to sicken seaborne tourists.

This time it's staying on land, though it's tough to say how many folks in this region have come down with the stomach bug. The health commission counts 2,251 people who were seen in Boston emergency departments from October through December 18...

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http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/hea...uptick_in_gastr.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed1