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Vomiting bug sweeps the peninsula
09.01.08
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INISHOWEN people have
been advised to phone ahead before visiting
vulnerable relatives in hospital as visits are
restricted due to an outbreak of the winter vomiting
bug. The peninsula has been badly hit this winter
with colds, flus and the stomach bug leaving
doctors' surgeries packed to overflowing and
pharmacies reporting huge demand for cold and flu
medication. |
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Donegal's public health
specialist Dr. Anthony Breslin urged people to
protect themselves and others, particularly the
elderly, children and hospital patients, against the
winter vomiting bug.
"It can affect anybody of any age but it
particularly affects the young and the elderly. |
And if the young and
the elderly become infected with it they develop the
vomiting and diarrhoea and can become dehydrated
very easily," said Dr. Breslin.
"It might last three or four days but people really
know they're sick when they have it," he told
Highland Radio yesterday.
Dr. Breslin confirmed that a number of community
hospitals throughout the county had also been
affected by the norovirus.
Carndonagh Community Hospital was assessing patients
yesterday and urged people to visit relatives only
if completely necessary.
Dr. Breslin added: "The hospital environment is an
ideal environment for spreading the virus because
people are very close together." He said staff at
the affected hospitals including Letterkenny were
implementing the strictest hygiene practises while
ensuring that patients with the virus, where
possible, were warded together and kept away from
non-infected patients.
The health specialist urged people with the symptoms
to restrict their food intake for the duration of
the illness and to drink plenty of fluids including
lemonade mixed with water to dilute the sugar. |
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