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Source:
www.moh.gov.sg |
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Norovirus Gastroenteritis -
Ministry of Health Advises Institutions to be Vigilant with
Hygiene Measures |
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There has been an increase in the number of
persons attending the polyclinics for acute diarrhoea over the past
three weeks. |
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The average weekly attendances during this
three-week period was about 20 per cent higher than the attendances for
the week just before this three-week period. Such fluctuations do take
place throughout the year. |
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This increase over the past three-week
period is only 5 per cent higher compared to the corresponding period
last year. |
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However, in view of the recent outbreaks of
norovirus gastroenteritis in two schools affecting a large number of
school children, the Ministry would like to advise the public to be
vigilant about diarrhoeal illnesses. |
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Noroviruses are a group of viruses that can
cause "gastric flu" or viral gastroenteritis. The symptoms of norovirus
illness usually include nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhoea and abdominal
pain. |
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Sometimes people also have fever, chills,
headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. In general,
children experience more vomiting than adults. |
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The illness often begins suddenly, and the
infected person may feel very sick. However, the illness is usually not
serious. Most people get better within 1-2 days, and they have no
long-term health effects related to their illness. |
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Noroviruses are found in the stool or
vomit of infected people. People can become infected with the
virus in several ways, including: |
- eating food or drinking liquids
that are contaminated with norovirus
- touching surfaces or objects
contaminated with norovirus, and then placing their hand in
their mouth
- having direct contact with
another person who is infected and showing symptoms (for
example, when caring for someone with illness, or sharing foods
or eating utensils with someone who is ill).
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Noroviruses are very contagious. As
the infection can spread easily from person to person,
institutions e.g. schools, day-care centers, residential homes,
nursing homes and hospitals are vulnerable to norovirus outbreaks. |
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The Ministry advises such institutions
to be vigilant with hygiene measures in their institutions.
Residents with symptoms suggestive of viral gastroenteritis should
be managed with proper infection control measures. |
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In addition, institutions should
monitor their staff who are ill and not allow them to return to
work until all their symptoms have resolved. |
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The Ministry also advises persons who
are having symptoms suggestive of viral gastroenteritis to refrain
from attending school or work until they are well. |
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When people are ill with vomiting and
diarrhea, they should drink plenty of fluids to prevent
dehydration. Persons who become dehydrated because they are unable
to drink enough fluids to replace the liquids they lost because of
vomiting and diarrhoea should seek medical attention. |
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You can decrease your chance of coming
in contact with norovirus by following these preventive steps:
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- Frequently wash your hands,
especially after toilet visits and changing diapers and before
eating or preparing food.
- Carefully wash fruits and
vegetables, and steam oysters before eating them.
- Thoroughly clean and disinfect
contaminated surfaces immediately after an episode of illness by
using household bleach in a ratio of one unit to 50 units of
water
- Immediately remove and wash
clothing or linens that may be contaminated with virus after an
episode of illness (use hot water and soap)
- Flush or discard any vomitus
and/or stool in the toilet and make sure that the surrounding
area is kept clean.
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Persons who are ill with vomiting and
diarrhea should not prepare food while they have symptoms and for
three days after they recover from their illness. Food that may
have been contaminated by an ill person should be disposed of
properly. |
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Source:
www.moh.gov.sg Press Release 7
Oct 2006 |
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Related Article: |
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Norovirus outbreak may have affected another two schools |
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FrontPage Edition: Sun 8 October 2006
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