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Winter vomiting bug leads to hospitals’ ward closures

Published date: 30 December 2011 |
Published by: Rebecca Cole

 

HOSPITALS in Wrexham and Flintshire have been hit by an outbreak of norovirus, the winter vomiting bug, leading to ward closures.

Two wards at Wrexham Maelor Hospital have been closed to new admissions in an attempt to control the spread of the bug which causes intense bouts of sickness and diarrhoea.

The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board revealed the Cunliffe and Mason medical wards at the Maelor have been closed to new patients since Christmas Eve and an outbreak began in the Delyn ward at Mold Community Hospital on December 16.

The Mold ward underwent a total clean before reopening on Wednesday, but the wards at the Maelor remain closed to admissions.

Speaking yesterday, a spokesman for the Board said: “There are 50 beds between the two wards and there are currently six beds not in use.

“Visitors are still able to come to the hospital/wards. However, if anyone is experiencing, or has experienced, symptoms in the last 48 hours, we would ask that they do not visit the hospital.

“If it is essential that you visit, please ensure you practice good hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water before you enter the ward and when leaving the ward.”

The spokesman added that yesterday, one member of staff and 13 patients were affected.

“Chirk Community Hospital has so far not been affected and is operating as normal,” they added.

Hospitals and schools are a particularly vulnerable target because large numbers of people are living in close proximity to each other and sharing facilities.

The board is warning visitors to think twice before visiting the hospital, especially if they have suffered any kind of stomach upset.

But the spokesman added: “Patients due to come into the hospital for a routine or planned appointment should not be concerned as patients are not being admitted to the wards affected.

“If anyone is due to come in but has recently been suffering from the illness please contact the ward in advance for advice because anyone who has been suffering can still pass on the bug up to at least 48 hours after their symptoms cease.”

- The main symptoms of the norovirus infection are sudden nausea, stomach ache followed by severe vomiting and/or diarrhoea. Sufferers may also have a slight fever, headache, stomach cramps and aching limbs.

Symptoms usually begin between 12-48 hours after a person becomes infected, with most healthy people making a recovery within one to three days.

Young children and elderly people can sometimes suffer complications, the most frequent of which is dehydration.

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  1. Posted by: a cahill at 09:54 on 30 December 2011 Report

    At the Maelor just before Christmas I saw visitors to wards for the elderly just walk straight in ignoring the hygeine rules and not bothering to use the hand wash that is in a promient position...a simple and quick action that could prevent the spread of bacteria and viral bugs

  2. Posted by: nuts68 at 10:13 on 30 December 2011 Report

    a cahill Its not just the visitors coming into the hospital its the staff as well who dont practice what they preach.I think its wrong that nurses when they finish their shifts or are on their lunch breaks are aloud to walk out of hospitals still wearing their uniforms go into shops ect,surely they should have over clothes on top?And when they finish their shifts their uniforms are left on the premises to be washed.

  3. Posted by: a cahill at 11:24 on 30 December 2011 Report

    I also saw medical staff in the cafe in uniform on breaks sitting alonside the visitors...surely the obvious solution would be to provide staff with a separate dining area and proper changing area... food production companies on the industial estate enforce the rule of not wearing uniform outside of buildings so why not the same for the NHS

  4. Posted by: Welsh Witch at 11:27 on 30 December 2011 Report

    I have experienced first hand the poor hygeine at Wrexham hospital - the staff swan from one ward to another without following hand washing rules - even those from wards that are closed due to the virus, and they still don't bother - the whole hospital needs a damn good clean - the RJAH in Oswestry is spotless, and you never hear of any wards being closed there

  5. Posted by: Welsh Witch at 11:30 on 30 December 2011 Report

    It is strange that the Cunliffe and Mason wards are the ones closed again - they were closed during the outbreak in Feb / Mar of this year - obviously lessons were not learned regarding hygeine - perhaps fines should now be levied against hospitals who are repeat offenders

  6. Posted by: alidyl73 at 13:18 on 30 December 2011 Report

    Its appalling to see Nursing Staff coming off shift and going out shopping in their uniforms. This is very bad practice. They could be carrying all kinds of bugs and infections out into the community. This did not happen when we had Matrons in charge of our hospitals. Too many managers in the NHS, very poor ones at that.

  7. Posted by: Bruin_bear at 13:19 on 30 December 2011 Report

    I'm sorry but Wrexham hospital is a dump, its a filthy place where germs breed easily because nobody even considers washing there hands, the staff are the worst, moving from patient to patient without a single drop of water, spreading any disease they may have. would n't find me in the dump.

  8. Posted by: liberty1 at 17:25 on 30 December 2011 Report

    Good hygiene can help in limlting the spread of the virus, many comments have already mentioned the areas in question, hand washing etc. there is though the urban myth about nurses wearing uniforms outside of hospitals, if we are to accept this as a cause for concern then what about visitors,contractors, ambulance staff and the patients themselves?

  9. Posted by: watchdog at 17:26 on 30 December 2011 Report

    Problem lies with the Betsi management. Before to long Bodelwyddan will be the main N Wales hospital. Wrexham people must wake up and fight for our Maelor hospital.

  10. Posted by: liberty1 at 17:36 on 30 December 2011 Report

    As for people refering to the Maelor as "a dump", I can only state that in the days prior to my child transfering to Alder Hey the treatment given was first rate and the condtions a credit to the NHS. The aftercare we received after our loss was also a credit to the Maelor/NHS, Sadly in this world some people are only happy if they have someone/organisation to knock and bully.

  11. Posted by: Welsh Witch at 23:55 on 30 December 2011 Report

    It is not a question of bullying any organisation, but to ask questions as to once again, wards at the Maelor have had to close due to the virus. I just hope that the health board trust take this matter more seriously this time around, sadly it is the older generation of patients that suffer the worse and may the gods forgive that anyone should die as a result

  12. Posted by: Bruin_bear at 06:10 on 31 December 2011 Report

    liberty1, The Maelor as most know it, is not run in the same way our hospitals used to be run, I'm sure you did get good treatment for your child, but I know dozens of people who have and still are suffering because of the lack of hygiene. Its not so much the nurses (bless them) but the so called Doctors and other staff wandering from ward to ward , and not a one uses the handwash supplied in wards.

  13. Posted by: alidyl73 at 11:35 on 31 December 2011 Report

    No Liberty1, not an urban myth about Nurses wearing uniforms outside the hospital. Fabric harbors bacteria such as MRSA, that kills up to 5,000 people a year and the elderly are the most vulnerable. Everything should be done to prevent this bacteria being carried out of the hospital environment and into the community causing cross infection. And yes, I do know what I am talking about.

  14. Posted by: liberty1 at 16:23 on 31 December 2011 Report

    a173, I to know what I am talking about and if you read my post correctly you would realise that I used the phrase "urban myth" as people always refer to nurses and not patients/visitors etc etc as potential carriers of germs.

  15. Posted by: liberty1 at 16:34 on 31 December 2011 Report

    There have been many studies carried out on this subject with many outcomes, as often happens with research. Russell Olmstead, president of Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology recently said "Any clothing that is worn by humans will become contaminated with microorganisms. The cornerstone of infection prevention remains the use of hand hygiene to prevent the movement of microbes from these surfaces to patients"

  16. Posted by: liberty1 at 16:42 on 31 December 2011 Report

    Bb, you state, "would n't find me in the dump", if this statement is correct how can you comment on what goes on in there?

  17. Posted by: oh dear at 17:47 on 31 December 2011 Report

    wrexham hospital is not a dump,you will always get germs spread what every safe guards you take,unless everyone that enters goes through a chemical shower,before putting on full chemical warfair suits on,and enter each ward through an airlock

  18. Posted by: Bruin_bear at 12:17 on 02 January 2012 Report

    liberty1, you ask, how i can comment ? easy. We nearly lost our son at 6 weeks old all because staff do not wash there hands, he caught the novovirus and was one of the 7 children moved to other hospitals because of the spread of this filthy disease spread by not washing. that was 7/8 years ago, and still no apology.yes its a DUMP.

  19. Posted by: liberty1 at 13:06 on 02 January 2012 Report

    Bb,so your comment "would n't ind me in the dump" is not true as you now state that you have been there, though you do not know if it was 7 or 8 yrs ago which seems strange considering the circumstances also the Maelor is not a dump, it is first -rate with first -rate staff.

  20. Posted by: alidyl73 at 17:16 on 02 January 2012 Report

    As you are well aware Liberty1 nurses come into contact with many different patients during their shift. They go from one patient to another, visitors do not do that. Rushing off to Tesco to do their shopping at the end of a shift in their uniform is a selfish act, you can carry anything out of there into the community.

  21. Posted by: liberty1 at 17:30 on 02 January 2012 Report

    Nurses are no different from anybody else who, for what ever reason, have access to a hospital, the comment by oh dear at 17:47, 31/12/11, sums up the situation, trying to make a section of the hospital staff a scapegoat is of no help at all.

  22. Posted by: Bruin_bear at 23:42 on 02 January 2012 Report

    Liberty1, yes I did use the hospital, but will not now till they clean the place up. Go and see for yourself, the handwash system is rarely used by doctors and other admin going from ward to ward.other hospitals except this, why not Wrexham? or is it they dont want sueing again for negligence through stupidity?

  23. Posted by: liberty1 at 20:10 on 03 January 2012 Report

    Bb,I have read your last comment a number of times but it does not make any sense whatsoever.

  24. Posted by: Bruin_bear at 13:35 on 04 January 2012 Report

    liberty1, you really must be thick then, never mind eh!

  25. Posted by: liberty1 at 20:39 on 04 January 2012 Report

    Bb, your level of reply says more about you than I could ever, reminds me of IMO.

  26. Posted by: Bruin_bear at 14:17 on 06 January 2012 Report

    What is an IMO ? if you failed to understand what I had typed, thats your problem. its self explanatory.

  27. Posted by: liberty1 at 21:51 on 06 January 2012 Report

    Bb, not "what is an IMO" but "who is IMO", if you brushed up on your grammar your comments may be more understandable to the general public.

  28. Posted by: Bruin_bear at 23:54 on 06 January 2012 Report

    Well I am sorry if my gammar is not up to your standards... not an ex school teacher are you ? Go to a decent school did you? some of us had to do with what we got.

  29. Posted by: liberty1 at 14:02 on 09 January 2012 Report

    "gammar", don't you think it's time you gave it a rest?

 

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