Outbreak of norovirus hits Rhode Island

Posted on February 22, 2007 by Norovirus Attorney
Rhode Island is experiencing a general increase in cases of norovirus - a category of diseases similar to the stomach flu - but the University has not been affected.

The Rhode Island Department of Health uses syndromic surveillance to monitor the number of norovirus cases, tracking changes in levels of reported cases instead of counting individual cases. "There are reporting mechanisms in place with schools, nursing homes and emergency (medical) departments," said Annemarie Beardsworth, spokeswoman for the department. "They report back to the DOH an increase in the number of cases - they give a general summary."

"All those systems that report back to the DOH are seeing increased cases of norovirus at the same time," she added. "Normally what we expect at this time of year is a small cluster of an increase. What is significant this year is all those segments are reporting an increase at the same time."

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State logs 130 norovirus outbreaks

Posted on February 22, 2007 by Norovirus Attorney
Virginia Department of Health officials say there have been 130 norovirus outbreaks throughout the state since Nov. 1.

That includes 40 outbreaks in the central Virginia region. About 70 percent of the outbreaks have been in long-term care facilities. The highly contagious gastrointestinal illness causes diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps.

Two Richmond-area facilities -- Lakewood Manor retirement community and Beaufont Towers -- are recovering from outbreaks and expect to remove visitation restrictions soon.

The Hermitage, a retirement community on Westwood Avenue in Richmond, was not allowing visitors at its health-care center yesterday because of illness among residents, but staff did not yet have a confirmation of norovirus.

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Health Officials Working to Stop Norovirus Outbreaks

Posted on February 22, 2007 by Norovirus Attorney
More people than ever are becoming sick with the norovirus here in Michigan. The State Department of Community Health says 145 outbreaks were reported in Michigan in 2006. That's about four times the amount reported in all of 2005 when there were only 36 cases, and we could be on another record-breaking pace this year.

After only a month and a half into 2007, 37 outbreaks have already been reported. Local health agencies are working to prevent the spread of this virus. Health experts at Michigan State University say those numbers may still be on the low side.

Dr. Dele Davies, Pediatrics and Human Development at MSU: "We know for sure there are more people with the disease than what actually gets reported."

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Norovirus plagues NMB school

Posted on February 22, 2007 by Norovirus Attorney
The highly contagious virus that infected at least 190 people at North Myrtle Beach Elementary has been identified as a norovirus, an illness most people know from its cruise ship outbreaks.

Nearly 200 students and staff members stayed home sick on Friday, and the school will remained closed for most of this week for a thorough cleaning.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced the finding Sunday after analyzing stool samples from people who were infected.

Department spokesman Thom Berry said people often hear of norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships. There haven't been recent outbreaks in any other S.C. schools, but some were reported this year at several nursing homes and residential care facilities in the Upstate, he said.

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