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CLOUDY Temp: 45 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Wednesday, February 19, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 24, 2003 More cases of Norwalk virus appear By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune Gastrointestinal viruses that struck two Medford nursing homes this week seem to be on the rise in Oregon and across the United States, public health officials say. One possible new case of Norwalk virus surfaced at Waterford at Three Fountains Thursday, raising to 90 the number of residents who have been ill since Jan. 14. Nine residents at Medford Rehabilitation have come down with Norwalk-like symptoms since Tuesday, but laboratory tests have not yet identified the source of their illness. Both nursing homes have closed their doors to new admissions until all patients are symptom-free for 48 hours. Norwalk also has been identified in outbreaks of diarrhea and vomiting in Wallowa, Sherman and Wasco counties and in Portland, said Dr. Paul Cieslak, manager of the Oregon Health Division’s communicable disease program. "It’s basically all over the state," Cieslak said. Meanwhile, the federal Centers for Disease Control reported growing incidence of Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses (known collectively as "noroviruses") across the United States — an estimated 23 million cases during 2002. The CDC report documented multiple outbreaks in hospitals and nursing homes in Vancouver, Wash., New Hampshire and New York City. The viruses usually make people ill for 24 to 48 hours. They are spread through food and water and close contact with infected people or things they have touched. The CDC report said public health officials believe they saw more norovirus cases than usual last year, but just how many more isn’t known because the illness is not tracked regularly. Hospitals, nursing homes and other care centers report clusters of illness to county public health officials, but many small outbreaks probably go unreported, Cieslak said. He said some of the increased reports of norovirus may be attributed to greater public awareness generated by outbreaks on cruise ships last year. Increased awareness alone, however, can’t explain the viruses’ spread. "A lot of times what causes these epidemics isn’t clear to us," he said. "The more you’re in this, the more you realize you don’t know." Public health officials will never know what started the outbreak in Medford, said Yvonne Chilcoat, supervisor of Jackson County’s communicable disease control program. "All it would have taken was one (infected) visitor, or one transfer (patient) or one staff worker," Chilcoat said. Cieslak said frequent hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of noroviruses. That means washing hands with soap and water for 20 to 30 seconds. "You’re trying to flush the stuff off and down the drain," he said. Cieslak said the twin symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea in a cluster of patients often give the first clue of Norwalk’s presence. In a Norwalk outbreak, 70 to 80 percent of all patients typically have vomiting, diarrhea or both. In an outbreak of salmonella, only about 10 percent of patients usually vomit. The Associated Press contributed to this story.On the net: www.cdc.gov/mmwr Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S