Skip to content

Hospital virus under control

An outbreak of Norwalk virus at the Haida Gwaii General Hospital that lasted two days is now under control.The virus spread last week between June 3 and 6 and affected seven people."We found out about it quickly," said Doug Quibell, Public Health Protection Manager at Northern Health."We worked with staff and the physicians to implement measures -- washing hands, using a sanitizing cleanser -- and we put an end to it very quickly," he added.The Norwalk virus, sometimes referred to as the vomiting virus, is common around this time of year. While it does not normally last very long, it spreads quickly. Cruise ships are often completely shut down by the virus.When a Norwalk virus hits, Mr. Quibell recommends as the best prevention to wash hands regularly, and stay home if you have a minor gastro-intestinal illness.