Burnham-On-Sea War Memorial Hospital’s wards remained closed to new patient admissions on Thursday (March 4th) following the outbreak of a virus last week.
There are still a small number of patients showing symptoms of the Norovirus and the hospital’s Matron and Infection Control staff are continuing to monitor the patients, while preventing new admissions.
Burnham-On-Sea.com first broke the news last week that an outbreak of Norovirus had affected the hospital in Love Lane.
Karen Anderson, Infection Prevention and Control Lead, at Somerset Community Health confirmed to Burnham-On-Sea.com on Thursday: “We still have strict infection control measures at Burnham Hospital. Norovirus is a common virus which exists in the natural environment and community at all times.”
“If you were planning to visit the hospital and have recently had gastric illness yourself, then please do not visit the hospital until you are completely free of symptoms for at least 48 hours.”
“We ask hospital visitors to please remember to wash their hands on entering the hospital and always use the anti-bacterial hand rub before coming onto an ward area. As simple as it seems, washing your hands after going to the toilet is still the most effective way of ensuring that such viruses are not passed to others.”
“Doctors advise that although the symptoms of Noro virus are unpleasant – the illness causes violent sickness and diarrhoea – it is not normally life threatening.”
The hospital is also embarking on additional cleaning and infection control measures.
The hospital’s outpatient clinics and Minor Injury Unit continue to operate as normal and are not affected by the Norovirus.
