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Infectious Diseases.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004

Thursday, 28 October 2004

Questions (10, 11, 12, 13)

Pat Breen

Question:

10 Mr. P. Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the persistent high rate of outbreaks of the winter vomiting bug in hospitals here. [26196/04]

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Pat Breen

Question:

15 Mr. P. Breen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on concerns regarding good hygiene practices in acute hospitals; and the agency which will be responsible for monitoring hygiene standards in acute hospitals when the health boards are abolished. [26195/04]

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John Deasy

Question:

45 Mr. Deasy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps being taken by her Department to control the high level of infectious diseases (details supplied) in acute and non-acute hospitals. [26194/04]

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Gay Mitchell

Question:

60 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if overcrowding and lack of staff is contributing to the difficulty of controlling infectious diseases in hospitals here, especially the winter vomiting bug and MRSA. [26197/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 15, 45 and 60 together.

Norovirus, more commonly referred to as the winter vomiting bug, is very resilient, highly infectious and can remain infectious for long periods. There has been an upsurge of activity of this virus throughout Europe and north America since 2002. It is important to understand that, since it is a community infection, outbreaks in hospitals are simply a gauge or reflection of what is happening in the community.

The National Disease Surveillance Centre, NDSC, has reported that there were 76 outbreaks of norovirus in 2003 and 64 outbreaks to date in 2004. Outbreaks cannot be eradicated, but they can be controlled. Within hospitals and other health care settings, early identification of an outbreak and a rapid response is the key to its control.

The NDSC was requested by the former Minister for Health and Children to draw up a set of national guidelines on the management of outbreaks of norovirus. These guidelines were developed by a multi-disciplinary working group, the sub-committee of the NDSC Scientific Advisory Committee, representing all professional groups which deal with such outbreaks, and were published in December 2003. These guidelines provide a framework to address the challenge of outbreaks of gastro-enteritis in hospitals and other settings caused by noroviruses.

The guidelines are intended for use and adaptation in all health care settings. Local arrangements can be put in place to match local needs, but the above principles should guide decision making in all circumstances. I have already dealt with issues relating to MRSA in my response to the Priority Question No. 5.

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