Hospital Gehrden paralyzed by Norovirus

Hospital Gehrden near Hannover paralyzed by Norovirus

20/05/2011

The Robert Koch Hospital in Gehrden near Hannover is affected by a rapid spread of noroviruses. Almost 60 patients and more than 30 employees have been infected with norovirus since the beginning of the week. The operation of the hospital is almost paralyzed.

Hospital operation came to a standstill
According to information from the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung (HAZ) is currently rampant Norovirus infection in the hospital Gehrden near Hannover. The virus is currently a major part of the clinic operation paralyzed. Since Monday I have infected 57 patients and 30 nurses and service employees with the virus infection. Also affected is the Klinikum Springe (also Region Hannover). According to the hospital management, 11 patients and a hospital employee fell ill with sudden diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The virus was transmitted according to current findings by a member of the hospital kitchen Gehrden. Thus it could also be explained why both hospitals are covered by the dangerous infectious disease. Therefore, the kitchen was closed on Tuesday at 10.00 clock and is disinfected and cleaned since then. The kitchen's 35 employees are currently undergoing regular stool sampling. Only when all samples have been rated negative three times in succession will the hospital kitchen be reopened.

Infected patients are cared for in isolation
Patients who are newly admitted to the clinic are given a single room as a precautionary measure. However, it is only occasionally since Thursday that new patients are being looked after by inpatients. The single beds are „invariably thoroughly cleaned and disinfected“ assures the line. The already ill Norovirus patients are cared for on a separate ward in isolation, so that do not infect other people. The food supply has taken over the Oststadt Hospital in Hanover, that now daily the hospitals Springe and Gehrden supplies.

Frequent occurrence of the virus infection
The incubation period of Norovirus is 6 to 50 hours. The disease lasts a total of one to five days. This means that the virus infection is transmitted even if those affected complain of no disease symptoms. It is striking that it comes again and again to large-scale infections. "In recent years, we have had recurrent cases of Noro infections, especially in larger facilities such as retirement homes or clinics, also this spring," said the spokesman for the health department of the Hannover Region, Nils Meyer told the newspaper HAZ. Such a frequent occurrence on these scales is already very unusual, Meyer.

Low levels of virus particles are sufficient for infection
Noroviruses are transmitted at a minimal infection dose of 10 to 100 virus particles, the incubation time is usually ten to 50 hours. A transmission is carried out by a contact infection or smear infection, in which the virus excreted through the stool or vomit and is usually passed on by oral route to other people. As in the Klinikum Gehrden, the transmission usually occurs over contaminated food, drinks and objects.

Although the disease itself is short but for the patient with a high level of disease. The symptoms are characterized by gastroenteritis (gastrointestinal flu) with sudden diarrhea and vomiting. Through diarrhea and vomiting, the immune system defends itself against the viruses and tries to literally flush out the attackers. Patients usually suffer from significant fluid loss, which is clinically balanced with infusions. In the case of a lesser sense of illness, the administration of teas and water is sufficient to prevent internal dehydration. Patients suffer from diarrhea and vomiting, abdominal pain, headache and muscle pain. A true circulatory collapse, however, occurs only rarely. The Norovirus is especially dangerous for pregnant women and patients with a weakened immune system. (Sb)

Also read:
Norovirus cases not uncommon
Health: Season of norovirus infections
Norovirus cases not uncommon
Noro virus on the rise?

Image: Stephanie Hofschlaeger, Pixelio.de.