Norovirus in Nursing Homes Has Salt Lake Valley Health Department Scrambling

The Salt Lake Valley Health Department is working hard to prevent a norovirus outbreak in area nursing homes after learning there are an increased number of folks suffering from symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Beginning today, Salt Lake health officials stared meeting with 150 administrators of long-term care facilities in order to offer educational information on norovirus prevention, including banning sick employees from work, disinfecting surfaces with bleach when cleaning up bodily functions and wearing gloves to prepare food.

Because norovirus is highly contagious, it is often spread through infected surfaces, direct contact and food. There is no cure, and symptoms generally last two or three days. For an elderly person, especially one with a compromised immune system, this can be a dangerous virus and may lead to dehydration even in the healthy person.

According to a health department epidemiologist, the campaign will target nursing homes not specifically because five nursing home residents have died from the flu, but in hopes that spreading information about hand washing and proper cleaning will “help fight other organisms.”