Racine Restaurant Will Reopen After Patrons Became Ill
A restaurant will reopen Thursday after being closed when a number of patrons came down with symptoms consistent with those of a food-borne illness, its owner says.
Continue Reading...Restaurant given go-ahead to serve food again
By Jeff Wilford
The Journal Times
December 28, 2004
RACINE, WI - Health officials have all but concluded that a recent outbreak of foodborne illness was caused by a norovirus. They have also given The Chartroom, 209 Dodge St., where the outbreak apparently originated, the green light to start serving food again.
The restaurant, which was last open Dec. 21, will open again and serve food on Thursday, owner Richard Pugh said.
Diane Muri, public health administrator for the city of Racine, said The Chartroom had done everything asked of it by health officials investigating the outbreak. Pugh voluntarily closed the restaurant last week, employees washed every surface customers might touch with a light mix of bleach and water, and employees have all submitted samples to be tested by health officials.
Continue Reading...Keeping shipshape, health-wise
THE WASHINGTON POST
December 26, 2004
My husband and I are in good health and don't qualify for a flu vaccine. Given past problems with norovirus, etc., on cruise ships, what, if anything, are cruise lines doing to address obvious concerns for flu outbreaks?
After reading the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's information sheets on cruise ship illnesses, I felt compelled to scrub my hands - repeatedly. "Wash your hands frequently throughout the day, even if you think they don't need to be washed," the CDC advises, and for good reason.
Cruise ships, with their captive audience, can become a perfect place to transmit contagious diseases. But norovirus and flu are spread quite differently. Flu, a respiratory illness, is spread when an infected person sneezes or coughs and others breathe the same air.
Continue Reading...Norovirus Cases On The Rise
WRIC-TV8
December 21, 2004
The Virginia Department of Health is reporting a rise of Norovirus in Virginia. Experts say the gastrointestinal disorder, formerly called Norwalk Virus, occurs most often in the winter.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and fever, which generally last from two to three days.
Doctors say the virus is very contagious. Children showing symptoms should be kept at home. Experts tell us the virus has no long term effects.
Health department warns of increase in norovirus
The Associated Press
WFLS News
December 20, 2004
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Department of Health has reported an increase in outbreaks of norovirus in Virginia.
Experts say the gastrointestinal disorder -- formerly called Norwalk virus -- occurs most often in the winter. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and fever, and generally last from two to three days.
An epidemiologist with the Virginia Department of Health says five outbreaks have been reported this month. Outbreaks are generally reported in places where people are in close contact such as dormitories and assisted-living facilities. Usually cases start to increase in December and drop off around March or April.
Continue Reading...Sick of the flu? Get ready for this
Norovirus outbreaks hit in Summit County and across the country
By Tracy Wheeler
Beacon Journal medical writer
December 14, 2004
It's not the ``flu'' that everyone has been concerned about, but a virus is now making a lot of people sick.
Outbreaks of norovirus (also known as a Norwalk-like virus and commonly called the ``stomach flu'' although it has no relation to the real flu, influenza) are hitting across the country, including at a preschool in Summit County.
The illness causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramping and, sometimes, a low-grade fever, chills, headache and a general sense of tiredness.
Continue Reading...Norwalk suspected in BGH outbreak
Brantford Expositor Staff
December 13, 2004
Local News - Visitors have been banned from one ward at Brantford General Hospital since five patients and three staff have fallen ill with Norwalk-like symptoms.
Samples were sent to a laboratory on Saturday and test results are expected today to determine if the Norwalk virus as the culprit, hospital spokesman Gary Chalk said Sunday.
ìWeíre very suspicious of it,î he said.
The five patients exhibiting the symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea associated with the virus are among 36 patients on the B-7 medical unit.
Continue Reading...Nursing home residents recover after outbreak
December 13, 2004
(Bennington, VT - AP) ó The director of the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington says most residents stricken during a virus outbreak last week have recovered or are recovering.
Commandant Earle Hollings Junior says the home will remain off-limits to visitors until all patients have been virus-free for 48 hours.
The norovirus usually causes stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. Its most serious side effect is dehydration.
A sudden outbreak of the norovirus began in the home's dementia wing on Tuesday, spreading quickly to other wings.
Veterans home on path to virus recovery
By ZACH CHURCH
Staff Writer
Dec. 13 2004
BENNINGTON -- The Vermont Veterans Home remains on-guard against the virus that caused a virtual lockdown last week, but most of the sick have recovered or are on their way, according to Commandant Earle Hollings II, director at the home.
"It's calmed down a lot, but it's not gone yet," Hollings said on Sunday night. The home will remain off-limits to visitors until all patients have been virus-free for 48 hours.
"One person could have it in the home and we'll still be on hold," Hollings said.
The concern is that the norovirus that infected residents and staff at the home can regenerate itself - patients who recover once can get it again. Even more of an issue, Hollings said, is that it can be more dangerous the second time around, when a person's immune system is weakened from the first attack.
Continue Reading...Virus suspected at nursing home
By John Michalak
Daily Tribune Staff Writer
Dec. 12, 2004
TROY ó An illness that swept through a Troy nursing home Thursday probably was caused by a norovirus which is the same culprit that sickened hundreds on cruise ships in recent years, medical experts said.
Paramedics from Alliance Mobile Health of Troy dressed in bio-hazard gowns transported 14 persons from the Alterra Clare Bridge nursing home, 4850 Northfield Parkway at Long Lake, to William Beaumont hospitals in Royal Oak and Troy.
All the patients are in fair condition, said Beaumont spokeswomen Ilene Wolff.
Officials are trying to determine if a person at the same nursing home who died early Thursday during a "cardiac arrest" call is connected to the illnesses. An autopsy is scheduled today by the Oakland County medical examiner.
Continue Reading...Cause of illnesses in assisted-living facility still undetermined
December 12, 2004
TROY, Mich. The cause of illnesses at an Oakland County assisted-living facility is still under investigation.
But Oakland County Heath Division Manager George Miller says paramedics may have overreacted Thursday by donning biohazard suits to enter the Alterra Clare Bridge facility in Troy and restricting access.
Continue Reading...Illness that sickened 15 remains mystery
By KORIE WILKINS
Of The Daily Oakland Press
December 11, 2004
Officials still don't know why 15 elderly residents of the Alterra Clare Bridge assisted living facility fell ill, but tests were being performed Friday to track down the cause.
Results of those tests are expected in coming days, said T.J. Bucholz, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Community Health.
"We're still treating this as a norovirus," he added.
Continue Reading...Stomach virus closes Vermont Veterans Home to visitors
WCAX-TV
December 10, 2004
BENNINGTON, Vt. - The Vermont Veterans Home has been closed to new admissions and visitors because of an outbreak of a highly contagious stomach virus.
The illness has stricken 60 residents and employees at the 169-bed facility.
Visitors will be asked to stay away and admissions will be halted for at least a week after a sudden outbreak of "norovirus" hit.
Continue Reading...Outbreak infects Alzheimer's facility
15 sent to area hospitals; man dies of heart attack
Of The Daily Oakland Press
December 10 2004
TROY - Fifteen elderly residents of the Alterra Clare Bridge assisted living facility were taken to area hospitals early Thursday after exhibiting symptoms of norovirus.
Heightening early concerns about the outbreak, a roughly 100-year-old resident of the Alzheimer's care facility died after suffering cardiac arrest around 5:30 a.m.
Continue Reading...Officials investigate illnesses, death in Troy assisted-living facility
BY FRANK WITSIL and CECILIA OLECK
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
December 9, 2004
Oakland County health officials were trying to determine Thursday whether the death of an 85-year-old man and the flu-like illness of 15 other elderly residents of the same Troy assisted living center were related, and what caused the outbreak of illness.
The patients - men and woman ages 79 to 90 - living at Alterra Clare Bridge were taken to area emergency rooms.
One went to Crittenton Hospital in Rochester, three to Beaumont Hospital in Troy and the rest to Beaumont in Royal Oak. Frank McGeorge, program director of emergency medicine at the Royal Oak hospital, said the patients at the Beaumont hospitals were in fair and stable condition Thursday afternoon.
McGeorge said the symptoms - diarrhea, abdominal cramping, low-grade fever, vomiting and nausea - point to a gastrointestinal virus or a food-related illness. A gastrointestinal virus such as norovirus, common on cruise ships, can transmitted through fecal-oral contact.
Continue Reading...Las Vegas Casinos Fight Norovirus
December 6, 2004
LAS VEGAS ñ (PRESS RELEASE) -- In the wake of recent outbreaks of the Norovirus in Las Vegas, casinos, hotels and other hospitality facilities are turning to new cleaning and sanitization methods outlined by the Clark County (Nevada) Health District (CCHD). One of the CCHD's recommendations is the use of disposable cleaning cloths to replace laundered cloth towels for all cleaning activities.
Use of disposable cleaning cloths is thought to help break the chain of infection that can occur when the highly contagious Noroviruses are spread via contact with a surface contaminated with the virus. "With a reusable cloth towel, you may spread viruses and germs from one location to the next as you clean," says Andy Clement, category manager, Kimberly-Clark Professional.
Continue Reading...Health department investigates illnesses at country club
December 05. 2004
By RICK ALLEN
STAFF WRITER
Sometimes, no matter how vigilant a restaurant is, the eatery still can be swept up in an outbreak of illness.
The Country Club of Ocala, for instance.
Since before Thanksgiving, the upper-end eatery at the golf club has been the subject of a food-borne illness investigation prompted by complaints that a dozen Gainesville golfers became ill after eating hamburgers and hot dogs at a golf tournament picnic-style buffet on Nov. 21.
One early indication is the illness may have been transmitted person-to-person rather than through food. Still, food contamination has not been ruled out.
A Florida Department of Health epidemiologist called in to assist the Department of Business and Professional Regulation investigation indicated late last week there's "at least a possibility of a viral-related source" to the outbreak.
Continue Reading...Norovirus Outbreak Control Guidelines
Environmental Health Associates, Inc. have published "Norovirus Outbreak Control Guidelines," a valuable resource for any hospitality industry business that believes itself to be impacted by a Norovirus outbreak. The guidelines can be found at http://www.about-norwalk.com.
These guidelines should be used in conjunction with the other laws and rules governing sanitation and communicable disease control in the lodging industry and advice from medical or public health advisers. The local circumstances should always be taken into account when deciding on a plan of action.
