A serious outbreak of the winter vomiting virus has closed off four surgical wards of the University College Hospital in Galway, it was confirmed today.
Health chiefs initially shut one ward to admissions yesterday afternoon but following the spread of the bug extended the quarantine zone to another three wards today. A spokeswoman for the Western Health Board stressed the measures taken were normal for his time of year and were designed to contain the virus.
"The hospital's infection control team are monitoring the situation on a ongoing basis," she said. "The wards were closed to admissions as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the virus. It's something that happens quite a lot at this time of year." Hospital staff have asked friends and relatives of patients not to visit unless it is essential and if necessary to limit the number of visitors.
The norovirus, as it is properly known, is easily contracted from an infected person, by consuming contaminated food or water or by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.
Symptoms, typically lasting between 12 and 60 hours, start with the sudden onset of nausea followed by projectile vomiting and diarrhoea. Most people make a full recovery within two days, however some people, usually the very young or elderly, may require medical treatment.
Outbreaks usually tend to affect people who are in semi-closed environments such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools and on cruise ships.
