With stomach flu making its way through Estevan and the southeast, the Sun Country Health Region is offering the public tips on how to avoid the flu or stop from passing it to others.
Sun Country says it has experienced an increase of gastrointestinal illness during the last couple of weeks. The region has seen the impact in its emergency rooms, and has two norovirus outbreaks in its health care facilities.
Dr. Shauna Hudson, medical health officer and Dr. Alain Lenferna, vice-president medical for Sun Country are reminding people of the steps to take to limit its spread.
The stomach flu making the rounds can be caused by many different viruses and bacteria. Norovirus is one common cause of the vomiting and diarrhea.
The steps to take to prevent the stomach flu:
1. Wash your hands frequently:
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds to help remove bacteria and viruses and prevent spreading them. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also effective.
Wash your hands:
after using the washroom;
after diapering a child;
before handling food or preparing meals;
before and after eating;
after being in contact with someone who has the stomach flu.
Handwashing is very important if you are visiting friends or family in a health care facility. Protect the residents and protect yourself by using the hand sanitizing stations when arriving or leaving our health-care facilities. It is also important to wash your hands to prevent the spread of other diseases too. Washing your hands after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose can prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses that cause colds and lung infections.
2. Know the symptoms of stomach flu:
Symptoms may include abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and low grade fever.
3. Stay home if you get sick with the stomach flu:
Please don't visit friends or family in a health care facility unless absolutely necessary.
Outbreaks from viruses like norovirus can have serious impacts in health care facilities. SCHR appreciates public co-operation in limiting these outbreaks.
Do not attend daycare, school, or work with symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.
Call Healthline at 1-877-800-0002 for health advice or visit http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/healthline-online
4. Seeking medical advice for the stomach flu:
Seek medical advice in any of the following situations, or if any other symptoms occur that you are concerned about:
If you suspect that you are becoming dehydrated.
Symptoms of dehydration in adults include: tiredness, dizziness or light-headedness, headache, muscular cramps, sunken eyes, passing little urine, a dry mouth and tongue, weakness, and becoming irritable.
Symptoms of dehydration in children include: passing little urine, a dry mouth, a dry tongue and lips, fewer tears when crying, sunken eyes, weakness, being irritable or lethargic.
If you are vomiting a lot and unable to keep fluids down.
If you have blood in your diarrhea or vomit.
If you have severe abdominal pain.
If you have severe symptoms or if you feel that your condition is getting worse.
If you have a persisting (greater than three days) high fever.
If your symptoms are not settling. For example, vomiting for more than one to two days, or diarrhea that does not start to settle after three to four days.
Infections caught abroad.
If you are elderly or have an underlying health problem such as diabetes, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease.
If you have a weakened immune system because of, for example, chemotherapy treatment, long-term steroid treatment, HIV infection.
If you are pregnant.
5. Take care in the kitchen:
Keep kitchen surface areas clean and disinfected.
Do not prepare food for others when you are sick with the stomach flu.
Practice proper hand washing with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before preparing or handling food.
Handle and prepare foods properly
Carefully wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them.
Cook foods thoroughly.
Store foods properly.
Food items that might have become contaminated with bacteria or viruses should be thrown out.
6. Keep common surface areas clean and disinfected:
Doorknobs, light switches, telephones, keyboards and other surfaces can become contaminated with bacteria and viruses.
Regular cleaning and disinfecting of these surfaces with normal household disinfectants can help.
Clean bathroom and kitchen counters, and taps, more frequently.
