[Archived] Update on Gastrointestinal Illnesses at Alexandria Nursing Home

City Press Release


	City of Alexandria, Virginia Office of the City Manager Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 www.alexandriava.gov Telephone: 703.838.4300 Fax : 703.838.6343

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For More Information Contact:
Monday February 23, 2004 Bob Custard (571) 221-7288 (cell)
4:00 p.m. Environmental Health Manager
Alexandria Health Department

UPDATE ON GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESSES
AT ALEXANDRIA NURSING HOMES

Three assisted living/nursing home facilities in the City of Alexandria are currently experiencing an increased number of cases of gastrointestinal illness. In one facility, thirty-six residents and ten staff members have become ill. In the second facility, five residents and two staff members have become ill. In the third facility, twenty-one residents and eight staff members have become ill. As of noon today, none of the ill persons have died and only two have been hospitalized.

The Alexandria Health Department is actively working with the staff of these facilities to determine the cause of this increased number of illnesses. This is being done by gathering information from facility management about ill patients and staff and by obtaining samples for laboratory testing. Sample results from the state laboratory are not expected before Wednesday or Thursday.

Preliminary information from the facilities indicates that the cause of the illness may be norovirus, a common gastrointestinal disease characterized by nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Norovirus is highly infectious and is easily spread from person to person. Symptoms generally last between two and three days, without serious or long-term health effects. Very young, elderly persons or immunocompromised persons are most at risk of serious complications from this illness.

These outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness are part of a larger regional trend of outbreaks in nursing homes, schools and child care centers over the last week. To date, no schools or child care centers in Alexandria have been affected.

The three nursing home/assisted living facilities in Alexandria are actively working with the Alexandria Health Department to implement measures to contain possible further spread of this illness. These measures include:

1. strict handwashing precautions,
2. minimizing contact between ill and well residents,
3. excluding any ill employees,
4. using disposable tableware for foodservice operations,
5. disinfecting all possibly contaminated surfaces, and
6. limiting visitors to the facilities until this illness outbreak is contained.

There is no reason to believe that this is a bioterrorist event.

A fact sheet about norovirus is attached.

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