The Department of Health issued guidelines for preventing the spread of Norovirus following a significant outbreak affecting 1,436 individuals, including students and school personnel in Klaeng district, Rayong province. The outbreak is attributed to contaminated water and ice consumed during a school sports event.
Norovirus, a highly communicable virus, primarily affects children with lower immunity and is prevalent during the winter months. It is commonly found in schools, restaurants, hospitals, childcare centres, and on public transport like buses and cruise ships.
The Deputy Director General of the Department of Health, Thiti Swangtham, emphasised the importance of water quality checks.
“We must ensure that all drinking and utility water is up to standard.”
On the occasion when the outbreak was reported, it was revealed that 1,418 of the affected people were students, while 18 were teachers and staff from two schools in Klaeng. The source of the infection was traced back to Norovirus-contaminated water and ice used during the sports week.
Norovirus is a virus that spreads rapidly from person to person and can be transmitted through food, water, air, contact, and even breathing. Infection can occur through direct contact with an infected person, touching contaminated objects, or being in unsanitary environments. The virus has a short incubation period of 12 to 48 hours after exposure.
Common symptoms of Norovirus include severe nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, low-grade fever, fatigue, headaches, and body aches. The symptoms are more severe in young children and the elderly, and in some cases, dehydration may occur, necessitating the consumption of electrolyte solutions to replace lost fluids and salts.
To safeguard against the virus, individuals are advised to eat freshly cooked meals, use separate utensils, wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, wash hands with clean water and soap before and after daily activities, avoid drinking unclean water, and refrain from contact with contaminated water.
The Deputy Director-General also advised that implementing personal hygiene measures is crucial in preventing the spread of the virus.
Institutions and workplaces are encouraged to enforce preventive measures such as adding chlorine to water storage tanks, continuously monitoring water quality, providing adequate handwashing facilities with soap or alcohol-based sanitisers, and educating individuals on maintaining good health and hygiene practices to prevent infections, reported KhaoSod.
“It is vital for all establishments to adhere to these preventive guidelines to safeguard public health.”
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