By Dylana Milobar

Interior Health getting a handle on Kamloops Norovirus outbreak

Feb 1, 2019 | 3:43 PM

KAMLOOPS — As a Norovirus outbreak continues, staff at Royal Inland Hospital and Hillside Psychiatric Centre are starting to get a handle on the spread.

On Thursday and Friday, 20 surgeries were postponed, with 31 patients and 26 staff members experiencing symptoms in 4 different wards. 

However, only 12 cases are still active, according to Interior Health Authority Communications Officer, Susan Duncan.

“It’s not usual that you would have quite so many units in a hospital affected. We’ve just had bad luck this year,” she explains. “Our house keeping staff is doing a fantastic job, the nursing staff is working really hard, and our infection control people are so diligent. And they’ll keep working diligently over the weekend, and hopefully we will have even better news on Monday.” 

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Going beyond the hospital, the illness has also spread to Berwick on the Park.

“However, it may be looking up,” Duncan says. “We may have good news about Hillside this afternoon. The outbreak may be declared over there.”

Along with proper hand washing to reduce the spread, medical professionals recommend not visiting care facilities if you are sick.

“That’s where the problem really gets out of control. And that means any place like the hospital or a seniors long-term care facility,” Duncan explains. “Just avoid it if you are sick, and you may even want to postpone your visit until the outbreak is over.”

For healthy people, Duncan says Norovirus will cause them to feel very sick for a few days, but for the eldery or people with weaker immune systems, they can become seriously ill.

“Once you have been sick, if you can, stay home for 48 hours after your last symptom. That will help control the spread.”