圣约翰 virus outbreak

[SIZE="3"]A Saint John nursing home has been closed to visitors in the wake of some confirmed cases of the Norwalk virus.

Loch Lomond Villa is restricting entrance to "necessary visitation only," chief executive officer Cindy Donovan stated in a news release.

"This virus is extremely contagious and we are taking steps in an effort to protect our residents and staff," she said.

The virus was confirmed at the 196-bed facility on the city's east side on Thursday, said Terry Lee Martin, director of care at the nursing home.

"It started out on one unit, Dogwood Lane. And by Friday, we had probably about eight residents that had Norwalk-like symptoms," she said.

As of Sunday, the virus had spread to two other units — Cedar Lane and Birch Lane, Martin said.

Norwalk is a gastrointestinal virus that can cause[B][COLOR="red"] nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps[/COLOR][/B], according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. [B][COLOR="red"]Symptoms may also include a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and fatigue.[/COLOR][/B]

People can become infected by direct contact with a person who is ill or has recently been ill, or through indirect contact by touching contaminated surfaces or by eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated.

[B][COLOR="Red"]Serious illness, including dehydration, can occur in the elderly, the very young and people with weakened immune systems.[/COLOR][/B]

People infected with the virus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill to three or four days after recovery.

Infection control measures, including strict adherence to handwashing guidelines, will remain in effect at Loch Lomond Villa until further notice, said Donovan.

Similar restrictions were put in place last February, during another outbreak of the Norwalk virus. The visiting ban was lifted after two weeks.[/SIZE]