"Killer" Virus Spreading in the U.K.

[abbyquack]

I just read this article about the norovirus that is causing U.K. hospitals to close wards as they deal with all the people coming in because of it:

Daily Express | UK News :: Killer virus grips Britain

Since I have worked in the Cruise industry for many years now, I am no stranger to people with the Norovirus (or Norwalk), as thousands if not millions of people get it every year, even in the U.S.

And how is it spread?

Poo touches mouth.

That's right, if you touch fecal matter, directly or indirectly (say you touch a counter that someone who had microscopic poo particles on their hand touched), and then it gets in your mouth (because you love putting your fingers in your mouth -yea i dunno), you get the Norovirus.

It is easily spread where there are a lot of people in "small" spaces, such as Cruise Ships, Hospitals, Schools, etc. and the symptoms of projectile vomit and uncontrollable diarrhea is the best part.

The thing is, if you're generally in good health and have no other health complications, Norwalk isn't deadly as whole, so if you get it, the best thing to do besides bombarding the hospital, is seek the advice of your primary doctor and isolate yourself for at least 36-48 hrs until symptoms have pretty much disappeared (sometimes takes 72 hrs).

It is a miserable virus as far as I know (as I've luckily never had it), so wash your hands and never eat poo!

 

[florabundance]

Oh god yeah..I've been reading about it. Is it the same as gastric flu? I swear this happens every winter over here?
About 3 years ago I got it when visiting my grandad in the hospital. And obviously NHS funded one's are filthy, so I just put it down to that. But I wouldn't wish it on anyone..I'm one of them people who's afraid of throwing up and gets all panicky lol.

EDIT: Also the idea of poo particles floating around so liberally has actually put me off my granola bar abby lmao.

 

[vocaltest]

this happens every winter here its nothing new. its nicknamed 'winter vomiting disease'. its not nice at all, but the worst of the symptoms are gone within 24 hours. just keep washing your hands etc and you should be fine.

florabundance its very similar to gastric flu, but more uncontrollable. i won't go into details about it as its pretty nasty hah.

 

[Blushbaby]

I swear if people weren't so damn nasty in the first place and washed their hands before leaving the toilet then the world would be a cleaner place (!)

I've lost count of the no of times I've been in the toilets at work and seen colleagues who I laugh and joke with every day, leave without washing their dutty hands! Urgh!

Thank God for my antibacterial gel which never leaves my side and is re-applied throughout the day!

 

[Willa]

/crazy mode on :

28 days later is here!!!!!!!

/crazy mode off.

No joke, people are nasty
There was a thread on that subject before (about who doesnt wash hands after going to the bathroom) and it was absolutely disgusting how much people here have seen others not washing.

Everyday when I go to the toilet, and somebody goes at the same time (at work), I hear them leave without washing.

 

[abbyquack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by florabundance EDIT: Also the idea of poo particles floating around so liberally has actually put me off my granola bar abby lmao.

Haha sorry about that, but I don't believe it's airborne, so as long as you didn't dip your granola bar in poo I think it should be fine.

I had to laugh when I read the article because I was like "oh no, what's happening", and then I read it was norovirus, and while I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, it's usually just a couple days of discomfort and then it's gone. To think the hospitals are being bombarded over this is not good, because there's not a whole lot they can do about it, it just needs to take its course.

 

[TISH1124]

People are Nasty!! That is why I have never or will never particpate in work potlucks....I always wonder if they washed their hands, scratched their butts or worse in the middle of dish preparation....I know they say heat will kill the germs...But YUCK and what about the non-heated dishes that people bring...Probably licking their fingers all while they are making them. Ok I'm done....Guess ya'll figured out that I am OCD and I don't do Pot Lucks so don't be inviting me to one.

 

[Mabelle]

That 28 days later thing (on perez hilton) freaked me right out. Especially because he puts so little information on the actual virus.

Call me insane, but i have an incredible fear of Zombies, so that tag was just not cool.

 

[Kayteuk]

Okay I am going to clear up some things here.

NHS hospitals are much better at cleaning up than private hospitals.
Private hospitals are not so good. The statistics?
I am going to find them, but the BBC proved that NHS had LESS cases of MRSA and other viruses due to their rigorous cleaning scheme.
I have both private and NHS treatments and I personally feel that the NHS hospitals I have been in are a lot cleaner. Most nurses these days spend 2 hours cleaning on each shift.
If you don't believe me...Go to BBC iplayer and watch "The peoples hospital" when it comes back on. Those nurses prove its all about health and standard in NHS.
Yes I am defending the NHS because I am damn proud of the system and I hate people slating it for a good service it provides, and I will gladly work there when I am qualified rather than any private hospital the world over.

Daily Mail and papers like that are making it in to a epidemic, similar to bird flu, which everyone got hit by....NOT.

Stuff like this really irks me, because I know the doctors surgery which I am working at right now is going to have a tonne of daily mail hypochondriacs "Dying" from this.

Just disinfect your door handles in your house, open the windows even when its freezing to change the air, and WASH YOUR HANDS!!

Its not going to kill you if you are in good health. Next thing I know they will be making the Brits walk through disinfectant again at US customs...I am sure some of you remember that a few years back!

If its not Mad cow disease, or Bird flu, MRSA or just simply "Winter vomiting virus" its not worth the hype to the papers.

Rant off!

Sorry I am in a bad mood as I had about 10 people demanding appointments for having this "virus" today when all they had was either
A) a hangover
B) are pregnant and didn't take the test (This girl was a bit Chavvy, and she caused a huge Kerfuffle/Scene in the surgery today.)
C) Ate a dodgy kebab
D) Just have the plain old flu.

If it doesn't go away or get better in 3 days, go to your GP.

In the UK use Dioralyte (It tastes horrible, put up with it and it will make you better!) and re hydration salts, bed rest, and lots of fluid to flush it out.
Also some imodium if its coming out the other end.

 

[TISH1124]

^^ I guess we are sorry you are in a bad mood! However with all other professions this just happens to be a part of yours...

 

[Kayteuk]

"
16.12.08, 6:24am
I always have to laugh at the hyperbole UK people use when they whine about something like getting the flu.......it is always going to be 100 times worse than ever before and the sky will certainly fall..........I agree that "millions face being struck down" because anyone that breathes is susceptible to catching the flu......keep a stiffy and you'll most likely live thru it, say your prayers and brush your teeth, there's good lads and lassies, be brave.........."




Great comment

Thanks TISH, I am just clearing up for any Hypo-C's on here, its not "Deadly", Morning sickness is worse than this virus, and the Daily Express isnt the most reliable source of balanced news in the world...


Daily mail anyone?!

 

[Kayteuk]

.. people died last year from this Killer virus? How many have died so far this year?

Might the answer to both be a rather round number? You'd have thought that if there were any facts to support this sensationalist headline they'd be there in the article.

Yet another grossly over exaggerated tabloid headline designed to whip us up into some sort of frenzy over the Xmas period.
I'm not denying the existence of the norovirus....but to say that 'Killer virus grips Britain' is way over the top and very typical of the tabloid media (Express,Mail,Mirror,Sun etc).

How about 'Common Cold grips Britain'.....or better still...."Mass Hangover epidemic grips nation on New Years Day!!!'

Such headlines help push up the sales don't they?????






Glad I am not the only one questioning the source.

 

[User49]

I had gastric flue in april. It was HORRIBLE> it lasted two days and all I did was throw up and diaoreah all day and all night. I literally tried to eat after the second day just a tiny bit of apple juice and a little bite of bread and I had like projectile vomiting. It is NOT nice!!! I had to miss my first ever mac update because i was so ill. Not a happy day i tell you. I got it from going into a hospital to visit someone close to me who was very ill. I guess they had an outbreak and I didn't realize until i got it and then they aired it on the news! Wash your hands is all I can say!!!

 

[florabundance]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abbyquack Haha sorry about that, but I don't believe it's airborne, so as long as you didn't dip your granola bar in poo I think it should be fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kayteuk NHS hospitals are much better at cleaning up than private hospitals. Private hospitals are not so good.

I don't know if that bit of your post is in response to what I said about having caught gastric flu from an NHS hospital. I didn't mean offence or implication that the NHS is shit compared to private (i've never been private so would have no idea)..just that was my experience and the experience of many others.

 

[JustDivine]

The Daily Mail is so damn dramatic about everything. I only read it when I want a good laugh...to pick me up!

There is no "killer virus sweeping across the UK". I echo what Kayte said!

 

[florabundance]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustDivine The Daily Mail is so damn dramatic about everything. I only read it when I want a good laugh...to pick me up! There is no "killer virus sweeping across the UK". I echo what Kayte said!

I swear everyone who has posted agreed with that?

 

[vocaltest]

glitternmyveins - i had gastric flu xmas 2005 and easter 2006.... its horrible, i feel your pain!! i never ever want to have that again.

kayteuk -

i agree completely to what you said about it being blown out of proportion, you're completely right.

however i know you're training to be a doctor so you probably know better than i do, but i don't agree about NHS hospitals being cleaner than private hospitals. Its probably down to area (I don't know about the rest of the country), but the surrounding hospitals to me (Kent - William Harvey... err.. can't remember what the Maidstone one is called) all do/have had horrendous outbreaks of MRSA & Cdif, and not to sound 'well so and so says this', one of my mums friends is a secretary to one of the surgeons at the William Harvey (Ashford) and she first hand has seen how disgusting some of the wards are there. Coming from someone who is an employee there, she won't touch ANY door handle in that place (she uses her elbows), she claims the antibacterial gel they provide throughout there is useless & so forth. And to make matters worse, for some reason she had to once go to the the accomodation blocks provided by the hospital for nurses, and I won't go into details but she said that some of the conditions these nurses lived in was awful, and they're the people there to care for us!!
When I had to go there in the summer for an x ray, I was in the waiting room, and there was an elderly patient in his bed waiting too... I was sort of behind him, and I looked over and there were spots of dried blood down the back of his bed!!! Ugghh!!

Also, a lady who my mum works with, her mother passed away last year and for a while she was in the William Harvey, and underneath her bed there was a tissue with spots on blood on it, and a syringe cap that were there in total for 8 days. Nice huh?
I have various other stories about the place.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, the hospitals near me are horrible, and I'm so grateful that I have BUPA cover!!

 

[Luceuk]

I totally agree with you Kayteuk people need better educated on these things. They think they have it but it's something else. It annoys me when people say they have the flu when it's infact just a cold. If you had the flu you wouldn't be able to get out of bed. It's an awful thing to have.

It's the same every year. My mum is a nurse and works in a hospital. The papers scare people, they love doing it.

If someone is in hospital with this bug, visitors can spread it. They visit someone and don't wash their hands when they arrive, they then touch the handrails, doors, person or belongings or the person. They don't wash their hands when they leave and so it spreads... It's the same for someone who is in hospital for something totally unrelated and a visitor comes in who hasn't washed their hands after going to the toilet, they then touch the person and because of there low immunity they pick up the bug.

People also dont realise that if you go to hospital and are admitted with htis sort of bug, the bay you arre in no one can move till that one person who may have the bug is 24 hours clear of diarrhea. If you are coping with it at home it's best not to go to hospital just call out your GP.


It's like blaiming the NHS for MRSA, you are just as likely to pick it up at McDonalds than you are in a hospital. I read a study not long ago where they found traces of it in McDonalds, on handrail in shops, buses etc.. Lots of people are carriers up there noses and you won't even realise it.

The issue of the cleanliness of hospitals, hospital cleaners used to be employed by the NHS (This area anyway, I don't know if it applies everywhere) And there were usually two per ward or department. They then put it out to contractors who payed less, and only left one cleaner on one ward. They haven't got time to clean everything!! It is changing for the better now. I know where my mum works is spotless, it is a lovely clean hospital but it's not the same everywhere.

I could rant about these things for hours

I'm totally going off the point too

 

[Kayteuk]

I think they should do what they did with MRSA and Quarantine.

Noo Florabundance I wasnt getting at you

I was just making a point because the Daily express is on the band wagon to kill the NHS.

And Bupa....I just got my quarterly bill through for them...£300. And I havent even used the service once in 3 years. I think I shall be ending that and continue to worship the NHS.

I hope the Daily express and Mail go out of biusness. I honestly believe they promote racism, and hate through the country.

 

[Shenanigans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kayteuk Sorry I am in a bad mood as I had about 10 people demanding appointments for having this "virus" today when all they had was either A) a hangover B) are pregnant and didn't take the test (This girl was a bit Chavvy, and she caused a huge Kerfuffle/Scene in the surgery today.) C) Ate a dodgy kebab D) Just have the plain old flu.

Haha, I'm sorry about your bad day, but that made me laugh!