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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Kids meet Santa, hunt for candy canes at Medford's Winter Lights Festival ... In-N-Out Burger buys Grant Pass site ... SOU Raiders win, return to national championship game ... Kids meet Santa, hunt for candy canes at Medford's Winter Lights Festival ... In-N-Out Burger buys Grant Pass site ... SOU Raiders win, return to national championship game ... Norovirus outbreak sickens 220 Staff scrubs down SORCC after illness struck last week WHITE CITY — Authorities at the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics believe they are gaining the upper hand on a norovirus outbreak that has sickened more than 200 people there. By MARK FREEMAN MailTribune.com By MARK FREEMAN Posted Mar. 11, 2014 @ 12:01 am Updated Mar 11, 2014 at 2:30 AM By MARK FREEMAN Posted Mar. 11, 2014 @ 12:01 am Updated Mar 11, 2014 at 2:30 AM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> WHITE CITY — Authorities at the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics believe they are gaining the upper hand on a norovirus outbreak that has sickened more than 200 people there. Over the weekend, only one new case of the highly contagious gastrointestinal infection was diagnosed at the closed facility, and one man was hospitalized for dehydration, SORCC spokeswoman Rhonda Haney said Monday. Since the virus first hit the facility hard on March 1, 156 patients and 64 staff members have been diagnosed with it. Seventeen were treated at local hospitals for dehydration and returned to SORCC. "We've been working very hard and very diligently to get the place scrubbed down," Haney said. "I've got bleach stains on my clothes right now from trying to get this under control." Resident passes were canceled for Monday to help curb new infections, Haney said. SORCC officials plan to re-evaluate Thursday whether to re-open, she said. "What we're doing is working, but we don't want to have another outbreak," she said. "We don't want to rush anything." Also known as the "winter vomiting disease," norovirus causes severe diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Norovirus is found in the vomit and stool of those infected and can be spread through contaminated food and drink, person-to-person contact and through the air, according to the CDC. The airborne nature of the virus means it can spread quickly and easily, especially in places where many people share living quarters, such as cruise ships, barracks and nursing homes, said Dr. Jim Shames, medical director for Jackson County Health and Human Services. "Once you have your first case, it's not unusual for the numbers to get very large very quickly," Shames said. "But it's generally fairly short-lived and mortalities are fairly low." Norovirus illness typically subsides within three days, but it can result in death, especially in the cases of young children, elderly adults and people with pre-existing health conditions, according to the CDC. Haney said SORCC officials do not know the cause of the current outbreak and likely will never discover the source. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 541-776-4470, or email at [email protected]. By MARK FREEMAN MailTribune.com By MARK FREEMAN Posted Mar. 11, 2014 @ 12:01 am Updated Mar 11, 2014 at 2:30 AM » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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