By Tom Mark

Update: Stomach Bug Hits VJH

Dec 13, 2017 | 3:09 PM

Interior Health has issued an update on an gastrointestinal outbreak in one unit at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.

Acute Health Service Administrator Richard Harding says the impacted area is limited to the inpatient psychiatry unit, and to date, the illness has affected six patients and two staff members.

Harding says there has been no new cases reported since Monday.

“In order for an outbreak to be declared over, there must be no new case declared for 96 hours,” says Harding. “If there are no new cases this outbreak will be declared over on Friday.”

The outbreak was first declared last Saturday.

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Signs have been posted in the impacted areas, along with other measures to prevent the virus from spreading.

Hospital staff are following guidelines outlined in the Interior Health Outbreak Management Response Plan, which include:

– Closing admissions to the impacted unit
– Closing the central dining area in the impacted unit
– Signage posted at hospital and impacted unit entrances
– Patient nursing care delivered in their rooms
– Enhanced environmental cleaning
– Rescheduling of group activities during outbreak
· To prevent the spread of the virus, if you have any GI symptoms do not visit the hospital as a visitor.
· Frequent hand-washing is the best tool to fight the spread of illness.

by Tom Mark