Norovirus 15 students hospitalized

Norovirus in hostel: 15 students hospitalized

26/05/2011

The reports of hospitalizations due to diarrhea do not stop. In addition to the numerous hospital deliveries in the wake of the current EHEC infection wave, 15 guests of a youth hostel in Oerlinghausen (district Lippe) had to be treated clinically on Wednesday evening due to severe vomiting - the reason: a norovirus infection.

The norovirus repeatedly causes sudden mass outbreaks and is characterized by acute severe vomiting diarrhea. In particular, the people in community facilities such as schools, kindergartens or retirement homes are relatively often affected, as the virus is very easily transmitted to many people in a small space. So it happened in the Youth Hostel Oerlinghausen 15 students who had to be hospitalized Wednesday night.

Large-scale use for norovirus infections in youth hostel
After a fifth-grader collapsed in the youth hostel in Oerlinghausen, a large alarm for the emergency service was triggered and set up a crisis team at the district, said a spokeswoman for the district of Lippe on Thursday. However, at the same time she was able to provide some relief, because it is proven to be a Norovirus infection and EHEC can therefore be excluded as a cause. First symptoms of the infection had already occurred on Tuesday evening in the fifth-graders, said the spokeswoman for the circle. On Wednesday evening, the spread of the infection then resulted in the deployment of around 220 rescue teams. Fifteen students had to be admitted to the hospital, while 31 other and six teachers had a reasonable suspicion of Norovirus infection. Those affected were isolated to avoid further spread of the infections.

Norovirus extremely contagious
The risk of spreading Norovirus is particularly high as it can be transmitted from person to person via so-called droplet infection or smear infection. The risk of infection is extremely high even when in contact with very small amounts of the pathogen. The main symptoms of norovirus infection are vomiting and severe, watery diarrhea (gastroenteritis). By vomiting diarrhea usually a significant fluid loss (dehydration) and fluctuations in the electrolyte balance are caused, which can be particularly dangerous for elderly patients and children. Therefore, at the first sign of Norovirus infection urgently a doctor should be consulted. This can, to compensate for fluid loss, infusions with the addition of electrolytes and thus stabilize the fluid balance again. (Fp)

Picture: Hartmut910