<h2>Oh god how I hate the newspaper

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<h2>Norovirus hits 5 Santa Rosa facilities</h2>

<h3>More than 100 stricken with illness that threatens elderly</h3>






By BOB NORBERG
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT












Norovirus, a gastrointestinal illness, has surfaced at five Santa Rosa
long-term care facilities, the second outbreak of the illness this
year, according to the Sonoma County Public Health Department.





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In the past 10 days, 102 patients and staff members have come
down with symptoms of the virus, which include vomiting and diarrhea.
Eight have been tested, and the results have come back positive.



Dr.
Leigh Hall, deputy public health officer, said the facilities are
taking the usual precautions by doing extra cleaning, limiting visitors
and suspending communal activities.



The last case was reported Thursday. If there are no more cases by Monday, Hall said the outbreak will be considered to be over.



"If
this is the end, that is good, because it is limited to those five
facilities," Hall said Friday. "We are hoping that we have gotten on
top of it."



The names of the facilities are being withheld by the county until the outbreak is over.



People
infected with the fast-spreading norovirus usually get nauseous and are
feverish within 24 hours, and the illness typically runs its course
within 48 hours. It is a danger only for the elderly.



There was
an outbreak that lasted four months in spring, with 588 people becoming
infected at 16 Sonoma County facilities. It also was listed as a
possible contributing cause in the death of a 91-year-old woman.



Four of the five facilities involved in this outbreak were hit in the earlier outbreak.



Hall
said officials are looking into the cases of three elderly people who
have died at the infected facilities to see if norovirus played a part.
All three people had severe health problems, Hall said.