Skye hospital closed after outbreak of winter vomiting bug

By ALISTAIR MUNRO
Published on 03/10/2012 12:20

A HOSPITAL on Skye has been closed to admissions after a suspected outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.

Five patients and 14 staff at the Mackinnon Memorial Hospital at Broadford have had symptoms of the contagious bug. Two are still being treated in the hospital.

As well as closing to new admissions, visitors are being asked not to visit due to the outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting.

The bug is affecting people in the community with the worst hit having to be admitted to hospital for treatment.

Although not confirmed, it is likely that the symptoms are caused by Norovirus, which causes diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.

NHS Highland said it spreads in the air where someone has had diarrhoea or vomited and is extremely difficult to contain.

Chrisann O’Halloran, Charge Nurse at the hospital, said: “We know this virus is in the community and it is likely that it has been brought in to the hospital.

“This is why we are asking people not to come to the hospital to visit, and especially if anyone has had any vomiting or diarrhoea within the previous 48 hours. By doing this we will be able to limit to spread as much as possible.

“Hospital staff are very happy to talk to visitors on the phone so they can get updates on how their relatives are.”

The NHS Highland wesbite states there is no specific treatment for a norovirus infection and it is not usually necessary to visit a doctor.

It added: “The best course of action is to stay at home, take paracetamol to relieve symptoms of any fever and to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

“People should also adhere to strict hand washing techniques to reduce the spread of the virus.”

The closure comes as specialist cleaning started at a ward at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness after cases of Clostridium difficile – c.diff – earlier this year.

Ward 4C was sealed off to allow a procedure called “fogging”, which uses hydrogen peroxide vapour to decontaminate surfaces.