Grampian hospitals finally fight off virus
Reported cases of winter vomiting bug at a five-year high in the UK
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NHS Grampian has finally overcome a virulent stomach virus that has closed dozens of hospital wards in recent months.
Norovirus has been “rampant” in the north-east, according to leading microbiologist Hugh Pennington, resulting in the health board having to close wards at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Woodend Hospital and Fraserburgh Hospital.
NHS Grampian has said the effects of the virus have fluctuated daily but confirmed last night that no wards were now closed because of it.
The winter vomiting bug, as norovirus is also known, is highly contagious and has affected millions of people across the country since Christmas. Doctors estimate that 100,000 people a week in the UK fell victim to the virus at its peak.
The symptoms – vomiting and diarrhoea – usually last about three days. It is transmitted by contact with infected people, consuming contaminated food or water or contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.
Reported cases of noro-virus are at a five-year high in the UK.
Cases of the virus in Scotland were five times higher than usual just before Christmas.
It is most commonly found where people are in a closed environment, such as hospitals, schools, residential homes and cruise ships.
The virus was the cause of an outbreak of sickness and diarrhoea that forced an international oil company to close its north-east headquarters.
Marathon Oil UK sent all staff at its Marathon House base in Aberdeen home on March 20 to let NHS Grampian and council staff investigate a mystery illness that had affected 100 people.
The company, which has about 400 workers at the Rubislaw Hill complex, said the decision to send staff home had been made to stop the infection spreading.
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