Ward closed to new admissions for a fourth day

The Gilbert Bain Hospital’s Ward 1 is still closed to new admissions for a fourth day.

Visiting is restricted due to an outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea and the hospital today said there had been one confirmed case of the sickness bug norovirus.

Consultant in public health medicine Susan Laidlaw said eight patients in have had the symptoms and yesterday six were being monitored on the surgical ward. The outbreak was described as under control.

Dr Laidlaw said: “Norovirus has been circulating in the community, and since the beginning of the year we have had outbreaks in care centres, and also a previous hospital outbreak.

“Norovirus is not related to surgery, but patients who are unwell and in hospital for any reason can be more susceptible to any common infection including norovirus. Some patients may also get symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting which is related to their underlying illness or treatment and is not due to any infection.”

The ward’s closure will be reviewed over the weekend. Visiting continues to be restricted, and anyone who intending to visit ward one should phone 743035.

The rest of the hospital is not affected .

Dr Laidlaw said that staff routinely take infection control precautions for all patients. She said: “When the patient has a suspected or confirmed infection then extra precautions may be taken to reduce the spread of that infection. This includes separating patients who have symptoms from those that don’t; the increased use of aprons, gloves and other personal protective equipment.”

This is not the first outbreak in hospital or care centres this year. The hospital’s Ward 3 had restricted visiting in March when a sickness bug broke out, and earlier this year it hit Lerwick’s Edward Thomason House care centre and the North Haven care centre in Brae.