Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Visiting restrictions in effect at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital


An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital has required the hospital to limit the contact from the public with patients and staff at the Summit Avenue Hospital.

The outbreak began on May 26th and since that time, two patients on the third floor, two patients in the extended care floor (the 4th) and nine staff members have come down with symptoms of the illness.

In order to get a better handle on the situation, the hospital yesterday including a number of visiting restrictions that were put in place on the third and fourth floors of the hospital.

The general public also has been advised that they should avoid visiting other areas of the facility unless absolutely necessary. The Hospital has also increased its infection control procedures to prevent further spread of the illness.

The Northern Health website provided an update on the outbreak and some suggestions on how to best prevent the spread of the illness in the community and at the Hospital.

They include the following:

-Staying at home if you are not feeling well
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-Not returning to work or school until 48 hours after symptoms have resolved
.
-Careful hand washing: wash your hands often, and well. Use warm water and soap, and scrub for at least 20 seconds.
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-Always wash your hands after coughing or blowing your nose, after using the washroom, before eating or preparing food, and after helping someone who is ill (such as an ill child).

A number of new sites have provided details of the outbreak, including Prince George's Opinion 250 and the locally operated newspaper and website Northern View.

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