Norovirus outbreak now lifted – Visitor restrictions no longer in place
The norovirus outbreak identified on NHH’s 2A medical/surgical unit has been lifted.
The outbreak was identified January 20th, and an update issued January 23rd extended visitor restrictions to the adjacent Maternal/Child unit as a precaution. With no new cases reported over the required period, NHH’s infection prevention and control practitioners have confirmed with representatives from the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit today that patient-to-patient transmission had been successfully stopped.
Admissions to the unit have resumed and surrounding health care facilities are in the process of being notified. Volunteer activity on the second floor of the hospital will resume in the coming days.
NHH reminds all visitors of the importance of routine infection prevention practices, particularly proper hand hygiene. Hand washing remains one of the single most important infection prevention and control practices to stop transmission of gastrointestinal illness and other infectious diseases both within the hospital environment and in the community. A Backgrounder detailing hand hygiene and other Visitor Tips for Minimizing the Spread of Infections is available here.