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Is your Virginia nursing home battling a highly contagious virus?

Virginia nursing homes are facing a seasonal danger, one that isn’t visible to the naked eye. To date, three adult care facilities have asked for help from the local health department to combat the highly contagious norovirus. The homes affected by this outbreak are all believed to be in the Rappahannock area; an epidemiologist with the Rappahannock Area Health District declined to name the homes or where they are located.

What should concern residents and family members is that this could happen anywhere. Below you will find more information on this contagious virus, including the symptoms, treatment, and means of controlling outbreaks.

What is norovirus?

According to the CDC, noroviruses are a group of related viruses that cause stomach flu or acute gastroenteritis in humans. Like all viral infections, noroviruses do not respond to treatment with antibiotics and cannot grow outside of a person’s body. Noroviruses are highly contagious and is most common from December to April. Victims continue to pass the virus to others for up to 72 hours after the symptoms end.

What are the symptoms of norovirus?

If you or someone you love becomes ill with norovirus, the usual symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. You might also have a low-grade fever, chills, a headache, muscle aches, and you could feel overall very tired

Norovirus illnesses usually begin very suddenly, with the infected person feeling quite ill. Your illness usually only lasts for a day or two and will resolve on its own. However, the disease is especially risk for elderly people who may quickly become dehydrated. Dehydration is the greatest risk for the elderly when ill with a norovirus.

What is the treatment for norovirus?

There really is no treatment for norovirus illnesses other than rest and hydration. Since the illness is usually brief in healthy persons, all you can do is wait it out and make sure to take in plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration after vomiting and diarrhea. Elderly people are especially vulnerable to the effects of dehydration, and need to be watched closely.

Controlling norovirus

Noroviruses are very contagious and spread very rapidly in facilities like hospitals, daycare centers, and nursing homes. You can become sick with norovirus by eating food or drink contaminated with the virus (i.e. sharing meals with an affected person), by touching contaminated surfaces or objects, or having a direct contact with another infected person. The adult care facilities in Rappahannock tried various means to control the virus, including asking the residents to eat meals in their rooms to avoid contact with other residents and advising family members to visit at a different time.

The best way to prevent the spread of infection? Wash your hands. This is why it is so important to make sure that your nursing home or adult-care facility has good, basic sanitation practices in place.

If you would like to speak with an attorney about problems you or someone you love has experienced with poor nursing home care, neglect, or abuse then please contact the law offices of Weisberg & Zaleski.

Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C.

112 College Place

Norfolk, VA 23510

Toll Free: (800) 690-0235

Phone: (757) 622-7740

Fax: (757) 533-9223

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Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C.
112 College Place
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: (757) 622-7740
Fax: (757) 533-9223
Toll Free: (800) 690-0235
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