November 28, 2017
Visitor restrictions in place at Pineview Lodge in Nipawin have officially been lifted by the Kelsey Trail Health Region Medical Health Officer Dr. Mohammad Khan.
A visitor restriction was declared at Pineview Lodge in Nipawin on Friday, November 17th as the result of a gastrointestinal outbreak among several residents and staff. Eight residents and two staff were initially reporting symptoms associated with gastrointestinal illness including vomiting, loose stool, nausea, abdominal cramps, fatigue and chills. In total, 13 long term care residents and 13 staff were impacted by the outbreak.
An outbreak is declared when a minimum of three residents, patients, clients or staff display symptoms of illness in a twenty-four hour period. During the outbreak, long term care resident activities were canceled and precautions were put in place to help contain and minimize the spread of the virus. “Visitors are asked to stay away from health care facilities when they are showing signs of illness,” stated Dr. Khan. “Visitors are also asked to exercise caution, including using hand cleanser or hand sanitizer, when entering and leaving health care facilities in an effort to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases.”
- The public can help prevent the spread of viruses by:
- Always thoroughly wash hands with soap and warm water;
- Use hand sanitizer frequently, particularly if hand washing is not immediately possible;
- Use a tissue or the sleeve of your clothing to cover coughs and sneezes;
- Clean all surfaces thoroughly, especially taps, railings, door handles, and counters, at home and where groups of people congregate; and
- If ill, stay at home for at least 48 hours after the last symptoms to prevent spread to others.
