Health Unit confirms cases of Norovirus in Sudbury, Manitoulin

Reports to the Sudbury and District Health Unit indicate an increased occurrence of gastrointestinal disease throughout the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts, and laboratory results have confirmed the presence of Norovirus.

Norovirus, also known as Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses, refers to a family of viruses that are present in the stool and vomit of infected people. They are spread primarily through person-to-person contact, or contamination of food prepared by a person who is currently ill or has been recently ill and did not wash their hands properly.

Symptoms of a Norovirus infection have a sudden onset and can include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, body aches, and sometimes fever. People typically become ill 24 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus, and symptoms usually last from one to two days. People should also remember that they can continue to spread the virus for up to several days after symptoms stop.

“People need to remember to wash their hands thoroughly,” Matthieu Frappier, a public health inspector in the Health Unit’s Environmental Health Division, said. “Wash your hands with liquid soap and water, especially after using the toilet, preparing food for yourself and others, and before consuming food.”

Here are some precautions individuals can take to help prevent the spread of Norovirus:

- Wash your hands thoroughly. Make sure you wash your hands after using the toilet and after changing diapers. Always wash your hands before and after handling food.

- People who are ill with Norovirus-like symptoms should not handle food and should not visit family and friends in hospitals and in long-term care facilities.

- Stay home when you are ill and for two days after symptoms stop.

- Ensure that feces and fecally contaminated material are carefully disposed of and disinfect all contaminated surfaces.

- Clean and sanitize washrooms and all hand contact surfaces with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water (that is, 1 oz. bleach in 9 oz. water) once daily or as needed.

For more information on proper hand-washing and how to protect yourself from Norovirus, phone the Sudbury and District Health Unit at (705) 522 9200 ext. 464, or visit www.sdhu.com.