COMMUNICATIONS

Hospital works to stop norovirus spread

Members of the public with symptoms of norovirus - diarrhoea and vomiting – are advised to contact their GP if they need medical assistance, rather than go to Christchurch Hospital’s Emergency Department.

The Hospital is receiving a number of patients with norovirus and staff are working hard to try and contain its spread.

One ward was closed over the weekend after several patients and staff had diarrhoea and vomiting. This ward has now been re-opened. Extra infection control precautions have also been applied in two other wards where patients and staff have been known to have symptoms.

Norovirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis. Symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea usually last 48 hours. The virus is spread mainly by person to person contact but can also be caught from contaminated surfaces.

Dr Mona Schousboe, CDHB Medical Director Infection Control said, “no new patients in the affected wards had developed symptoms in the last 48 hours but there had been a number of people coming into the Emergency Department with vomiting and diarrhoea.”

Members of the public are being asked not to visit hospital patients if they have had diarrhoea and/or vomiting in the previous 48 hours. Visits to patients with diarrhoea and vomiting are also being restricted.

ENDS