Norovirus outbreak in wildfire shelter: Officials forced to quarantine vomiting evacuees

Norovirus outbreak in wildfire shelter: California officials forced to quarantine scores of vomiting evacuees to contain the virus

  • Lab tests confirmed the virus in Chico, California, officials said
  • An unspecified number of people have been quarantined 
  • Norovirus, one of the most common stomach infections in the US, is referred to winter vomiting bug as it usually occurs in winter

Officials say there has been an outbreak of norovirus at a shelter housing people who evacuated their homes to escape the massive wildfire in Northern California.

Butte County public health spokeswoman Lisa Almaguer said that lab tests confirmed the virus and those who were sick have been quarantined at the shelter in Chico, California, but in an area separate from healthy evacuees.

She said she did not know how many people had contracted the virus.

Staff mopped floors with bleach Wednesday at the Neighborhood Church in Chico, where a large room has been converted into a makeshift medical care center.

This is one of the decimated homes in Paradise, California, near where the norovirus outbreak was confirmed today 

Norovirus is one of the most common stomach infections in the US and it is referred to winter vomiting bug as it usually occurs in winter.

Usually it clears up by itself within 24 to 48 hours but it can very serious for already frail patients, and can lead to dehydration.

The virus, which can also cause diarrhea, is extremely contagious and can create huge disruption in hospitals as it spreads so quickly between patients.

But the winter vomiting bug has a tendency to mutate and some strains are worse than others, leading to higher numbers of infections.

To establish a norovirus outbreak, doctors follow the ‘Kaplan’ criteria.

The criteria include: vomiting occurring in more than half of people suspected to be infected, an incubation period of up to 48 hours, and being sick for between 12 and 60 hours.   

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