20 May 2004
Stomach Bug Reduces Services At Wellington Hospital & Kenepuru Community Hospital
A virus which has been causing illness in the community over recent weeks has now reached Wellington and Kenepuru
hospitals.
Norovirus is a mild illness, which is characterised by vomiting and diarrhoea, Dr Tim Blackmore, infectious diseases
physician at Wellington Hospital said today.
“In layman’s terms it’s an unpleasant tummy bug.”
“For most people it will be a 24 hour bug, however it can be quite debilitating for the very old, the very young and
those with compromised immune systems. The problem is that it spreads very easily,” Dr Blackmore says.
John Peters, Interim Chief Operating Officer for C DHB says “We have put a number of measures in place in our hospitals, including stepped up infection control
procedures, isolating patients with the illness, and sending home staff who show any signs of infection.” “As three
quarters of the cases in our facilities have been at Kenepuru Community Hospital we are sending patients who require
admission, and who also have vomiting or diarrhoea there. We are directing other new admissions to Wellington Hospital.
This is a precautionary measure, to help us further contain the disease and maintain essential services. “We have also
postponed non-urgent surgery, although day surgery is going ahead as we assess the risk of infection for those patients
to be very low. We are also letting rest homes, other hospitals and GPs know, to assist them in taking precautionary
measures.
“In number terms, we’ve had around 40 cases of mild illness among hospital patients and staff. We have cancelled 17
non-urgent surgeries today. This is regrettable, and we apologise for the inconvenience, however it is the safest course
to steer under the circumstances,” John Peters says.
Norovirus is a reasonably common illness which typically affects places where large numbers of people are in reasonably
close contact, such as schools, rest homes or cruise ships. It surfaces in the greater Wellington region most winters.
Dr Margot McLean, the Medical Officer of Health for Regional Public Health, says people with symptoms of gastroenteritis
are advised to stay at home and drink plenty of fluids. Antibiotics are not effective, and the illness gets better by
itself in between one and three days.
Young children and the elderly are most at risk of dehydration. People who need to see a doctor because they are
concerned should phone the surgery first, advising of their symptoms, Margot McLean says.
ENDS