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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-02-18, Page 22 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, February 18, 2015 Huron County warns of Norovirus Health Unit investigating illness Huron County's public health agency says it is investigating the spread of a stomach -related illness in area schools and daycares that it sus- pects is the Norovirus. In a statement released on Feb. 9, the Huron County Health Unit urged those with the illness to stay at home to prevent the virus from spreading. "You can avoid spreading Norovi- rus by staying home when sick," Rox- ana oxana Nassiri, a public health inspector with the county, said in a prepared statement. "If your children are sick, keep them home from school or day- care until they have been symptom- free for at least 48 hours." Huron County Health warns that the virus spreads "easily," usually through person-to-person contact, and can also "enter a person's mouth" through contaminated food, water or hands. Health officials warn that a per- son's hands could become contami- nated by the virus through close per- sonal contact, such as sharing objects or touching the same sur- faces as someone who has the virus. The Norovirus causes a sudden onset of nausea, vomiting and diar- rhea, with the illness lasting between 24 to 48 hours, according to the county health agency. Symptoms of the virus include a low-grade fever, chills, headache, tiredness and mus- cle aches. The Health Unit urged healthcare workers, foodhandlers and caregiv- ers, including daycare staff, who have come down with the Norovirus to not return to work "until at least 48 hours" after symptoms have been resolved. Public health officials also cautioned against visiting elderly res- idents in long-term care facilities if feeling ill. The spread of infection can be halted by cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces such as counters, doorknobs and remote controls, as well as frequent hand - washing with warm running water and soap for at least 20 seconds, according to the statement from the Health Unit. The agency also urged residents to wash their hands after using the washroom, changing diapers, shak- ing hands and before and after pre- paring and eating food. Those afflicted by the virus can be infected again after recovering. There remains no specific treat- ment, though if afflicted public health officials have said it is important to get plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Marco Vigliotti Huron Expositor Waterloo Planning Master's students Steven Qi and Xinyue Pi, both of whom are in their first year of the program, canvass Seaforth on a frigid Thursday, Feb. 12. University of Waterloo students return to Seaforth Planning students developing "game plan" for Huron East Marco Vigliotti Huron Expositor University of Waterloo planning students are currently developing a survey for Huron East residents ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! DEADLINES Our Weekly Deadlines are as follows: ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL Friday @ 2:00 pm Iluron Expositor 8 Main St., Seaforth PH: 519-527-0240 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com OFFICE HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 9am - 5pm CLOSED TUESDAYS to gauge their opinions on local transportation, healthcare, hous- ing and other pressing issues as part of efforts to make the munici- pality more age -friendly. About 20 planning students from the school visited Seaforth last Wednesday to meet with stake- holders, observe crucial municipal infrastructure and talk with resi- dents to better inform the soon-to- be released study, their professor John Lewis told the Expositor. "(It's) basically for community residents to provide feedback to us on how they feel about quality of life in Huron East, especially for an aging point of view," he said in an interview at town hall. "After all of this is done, they'll go back and spend about a month analyzing the results and then produce a report for Huron East council." Once the survey has been fin- ished, it is expected that 500 cop- ies will be distributed to several locations in Seaforth, Brussels and Vanastra for residents to pick up and complete. Not all locations have been finalized but municipal officials say copies of the survey will be available at town hall in Seaforth, as well as nearby libraries and rec- reations centres. Coun. Bob Fisher said the infor- mation gleaned from the study will aid in the students' develop- ment of a comprehensive "game plan" for Huron East that would look to facilitate and improve housing, transportation, social interaction, recreation and health- care around the municipality. Transportation, in particular, represents a major concern in the community, he said, with Huron County not having any public transit options. Fisher stresses that the planning project seeks to address all "aspects of aging" and isn't simply restricted in its focus to older residents. "(Some people) were comment- ing that they're just doing it for seniors but it's...for everybody," he said. "It's just as important for somebody with a baby in a stroller to be able to get around as it is for a senior with a walker and some- body in a wheelchair." It is expected that the students will deliver their report to council sometime in April. The students had previously vis- ited Seaforth last month where they met with Huron East CAO Brad Knight and economic devel- opment officer Jan Hawley. They also visited with residents around the municipality and went on guided tours of Vanastra and Brussels.