3 More Sick With Confirmed Norovirus At Long Term Care Facility in Oconee Co.

Updated: February 6, 2012

Three more patients are showing signs of confirmed norovirus at Lila Doyle Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Facility.

Heather Goss with the Oconee Medical Center says this is in addition to the original 11, whose conditions have improved.

Late last week, state health officials confirmed the illness sweeping through the facility.

The nursing home plans to re-open the group dining room on Wednesday.  It's unsure when other activities will be open.

Special precautions are in place for visitors.  They must wear gloves and a gown.

Hospital officials ask if you've had any symptoms to please not visit.

Updated: February 3, 2012

Hospital officials say they are still waiting for confirmation of the illness being norovirus.

No new patients are reporting symptoms.

State health officials are working to find out what the sickness is.

Posted: February 2, 2012

A wing at a long term care facility at the Oconee Memorial Hospital campus has been closed to the public and group activity because of an illness that is spreading across the Carolina's.

Heather Goss with the hospital tells 7 On Your Side the wing, the Lila Doyle Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Facility, is separate from the hospital. Goss says 11 patients are sick from what is believed to be the norovirus, however state health officials have not confirmed this diagnosis.

The norovirus has the potential to be deadly. It has already left hundreds of people sick in North Carolina and dozens ill in upstate South Carolina. Among those who have been affected is George Polk, a patient at Lila Doyle.

"I can't wait for this weekend," he said. "I'm excited to go home. Really excited to go home."

Lila Doyle is the second facility in the upstate this week to have an outbreak of the virus. Earlier this week an assisted living facility in Boiling Springs had 31 patients and seven staff members who were sick.

Health officiials say the norovirus can cause severe dehydration and even death especially in the old and very young. Which is why they are taking special precautions at Lila Doyle, where the average patient age is over 65.

"We made the decision and closed the dining room and stopped doing group activities so we can contain that and prevent the spread," said Nursing Director Nancy Farrar.

Farrar says the the staff is also making sure everything in the wing is properly cleaned and disinfected because of just how fast the virus spreads and how hard it is to contain.

"We are certainly being more diligent about getting the hand rails and that type of things," she said. "We use a bleach solution to clean." 

That's something you should be doing also to protect your family from the virus.

Use bleach base cleaners to clean your doorknobs, countertops and other frequently touched surfaces. And make sure your wash your hands frequently, especially if you start to have symptoms of nauseau and vomiting your advised to stay home so not to spread the virus to others.

No new admissions are being accepted at this time at the facility.