Gastro outbreak at Royal Hobart Hospital Children's Ward - Tasmania Examiner

Royal Hobart Hospital infection control staff are working to control an outbreak of norovirus on the Children's Ward, RHH infection prevention and control medical adviser Tara Anderson said. Norovirus causes acute gastroenteritis and circulates in the community, where it can be brought into sites such as hospitals and nursing homes. At the RHH, a "small number" of patients have been isolated until they recover from the virus, and visitation to the Children's Ward has been restricted to immediate family and essential visitors. Ms Anderson said anyone who experiences gastroenteritis symptoms should not to visit a healthcare facility for at least 48 hours after their symptoms have stopped. Even if they feel relatively well they may still be able to spread the virus, she said. IN OTHER NEWS: "While norovirus outbreaks are not uncommon, the symptoms can pose a risk to patients who are already unwell and are in hospital, and additional cleaning programs need to be put in place to prevent the virus spreading," she said. "We are therefore asking for the community's cooperation to help limit the spread by staying away from the hospital if they are symptomatic and being mindful that they should only be visiting the children's ward if they are immediate family of a patient currently being treated." The most common symptoms of gastroenteritis are vomiting and diarrhoea. Other symptoms may include nausea, stomach cramps, fever, headache and muscle aches. The illness usually lasts one or two days but can last longer. Further information on the virus and its symptoms can be found at dhhs.tas.gov.au/publichealth/communicable_diseases_prevention_unit/infectious_diseases/norovirus

Royal Hobart Hospital infection control staff are working to control an outbreak of norovirus on the Children's Ward, RHH infection prevention and control medical adviser Tara Anderson said.

Norovirus causes acute gastroenteritis and circulates in the community, where it can be brought into sites such as hospitals and nursing homes.

At the RHH, a "small number" of patients have been isolated until they recover from the virus, and visitation to the Children's Ward has been restricted to immediate family and essential visitors.

Ms Anderson said anyone who experiences gastroenteritis symptoms should not to visit a healthcare facility for at least 48 hours after their symptoms have stopped.

Even if they feel relatively well they may still be able to spread the virus, she said.

IN OTHER NEWS:

"While norovirus outbreaks are not uncommon, the symptoms can pose a risk to patients who are already unwell and are in hospital, and additional cleaning programs need to be put in place to prevent the virus spreading," she said.

"We are therefore asking for the community's cooperation to help limit the spread by staying away from the hospital if they are symptomatic and being mindful that they should only be visiting the children's ward if they are immediate family of a patient currently being treated."

The most common symptoms of gastroenteritis are vomiting and diarrhoea.

Other symptoms may include nausea, stomach cramps, fever, headache and muscle aches. The illness usually lasts one or two days but can last longer.

Further information on the virus and its symptoms can be found at dhhs.tas.gov.au/publichealth/communicable_diseases_prevention_unit/infectious_diseases/norovirus

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