Deep cleaning at Highland hospitals after norovirus outbreak
Cleaning has begun at three Highland hospitals in a bid to get them fully reopened after they were closed due to norovirus.
Nairn Town and County, Lawson Memorial in Golspie and the County Community Hospital in Invergordon were all shut to new admissions last week as staff dealt with a number of cases of diarrhoea and vomiting, which was confirmed as the bug.
Ward 3C at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, which was also closed to new admissions due to the virus, reopened yesterday.
Dr Jonty Mills, Acting Consultant Microbiologist for NHS Highland, explained that all affected patients have now recovered from the norovirus symptoms.
There have been no new episodes of diarrhoea or vomiting for over 48 hours.
He said: “All our patients have made a good recovery from these symptoms and the majority of staff are back to work with a small number still waiting for 48 hours clearance before they can return to their duties.
“Ward 3C at Raigmore was able to open yesterday following deep cleaning over the weekend.
"Deep cleaning has started in the other hospitals and we are hopeful that they will be able to reopen by mid week.”
Dr Mills explained that while the virus had run its course in the affected areas it is still out in the community and the messages to the public remain the same.
He said: “Norovirus, which causes diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, can spread in the air where someone has had diarrhoea or vomited and is extremely difficult to contain.
“We know it is in the community so are continuing to ask the public not to come to hospital if they have had any vomiting or diarrhoea within the previous 48hrs.
"By doing this we will be able to reduce, as much as we possibly can, the chances of it coming back into our hospitals.”