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Suspected norovirus outbreak kills 4 in Yokohama hospital

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“We apologize for our inability to prevent it.”

s.o.s. WHO

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

“We apologize for our inability to prevent it.”

Not a whole lot you can do aside from the obvious care in sterilizing. Personally, I avoid hospitals like the plague they carry, which has killed quite a few already this year.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Imagine, this is in super rich, CLEAN Japan, now if this kind of virus starts breaking out in more less developed countries?? My guess all hell will break loose! RIP

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Pneumonia alone is a killer for infants and elderly. Most people who get this virus recover with no major issues. Couple it with pneumonia and I think odds even for a person in their 20-30's would have a hard time recovering from this.

I'm a firm believer that get in and get out of a hospital quick ...follow doctors orders on bed rest with medicine at home away from possible threats or outbreaks. Hospitals are large Petri dishes just growing all kinds of virus's and bacteria ones that are now resistant to a lot of the medicine out there.

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CrazedinJapan, it was almost definitely the Norovirus which caused the pneumonia. Pneumonia is often a side effect of these kinds of diseases, in the elderly.

I also don't know why the hospital are apologizing - I agree that there is VERY little they can do once an outbreak starts. Cleaning, handwashing, and disinfecting do nothing to stop Norovirus - alcohol and most cleaning products have no effect on killing norovirus, the only thing which can work is bleach, which is obviously not really appropriate for using in hospitals, as the effects last a very short time and the fumes can be dangerous to the risk groups - elderly, young children, and pregnant women.

Norovirus is spread by air particles, so if you are in the same area where someone is being / has been vomiting because of norovirus, you are able to catch it. Its just one of those things which has to run its course, in my opinion.

I mentioned on another post someone close to me (a pregnant women) had this virus this year in Japan and it knocked her for six, and it was horrible. It seems to be a particularly strong strain this year. I hope that it ends quickly.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Imagine, this is in super rich, CLEAN Japan, now if this kind of virus starts breaking out in more less developed countries?? My guess all hell will break loose! RIP

It's hard to stop the norovirus despite precautions. In the UK it has already affected one million people. It has also forced the closure of a hospital in East Surrey, close to London.

Norovirus: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20856902

Hospital closure: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20865326

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Imagine, this is in super rich, CLEAN Japan, now if this kind of virus starts breaking out in more less developed countries?? My guess all hell will break loose! RIP It's hard to stop the norovirus despite precautions. In the UK it has already affected one million people. It has also forced the closure of a hospital in East Surrey, close to London.

The UK, to my knowledge, is also a fairly rich, clean, developed country.

I think the OP was referring more to Second and third world places with less medical care, less facilities to treat those in need of urgent care due to norovirus, and those hospitals which are not up to western standards in terms of cleanliness (although granted, some third world countries would rival the NHS hospitals on terms of how clean they are.)

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to the mexican guy, lol! no hospital is clean xD its a dirty place

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I know it's cold ... but simply washing the hands after using the toilet, specially public toilets can help a lot.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

kimu - yes of course. My point was that it doesn't matter how clean or modern a country is, the norovirus will spread. The UK was meant as an example of that.

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Kimukuzashiiii: I also don't know why the hospital are apologizing - I agree that there is VERY little they can do once an outbreak starts. Cleaning, handwashing, and disinfecting do nothing to stop Norovirus - alcohol and most cleaning products have no effect on killing norovirus.

I am curious from where you derived your opinions? Because they obviously conflict with what the US Centers for Disease Control advise--That handwashing as a primary method to reduce the spread of Norovirus particles. The goal is to detach the virus from skin and other surfaces, not necessarily kill it on contact. Having visited and observed hospitals in Kinki region, I saw the same problems as in the US hospitals where I have worked--that handwashing was not done frequently enough, especially by older nurses, dietary aides that visit from room to room, and almost all physicians. Lack of time was an excuse most of them provided.

Having a graduate degree in public health and also having worked in school districts, I have seen where frequent handwashing and isolating those infected with norovirus did a lot to slow down its transmission. Touch remains a primary method of transmission for Norovirus. Of course emesis events also need to be dealt with asap. Because Japanese hospitals seem to rely more on a patient's family for their care needs, then families need to be better cautioned also. There are methods practiced in US hospitals that have to deal with MRSA infections that also apply to norovirus situations, but they are more costly and time-consuming, something that not all profit-oriented health organizations want to think about.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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