Experts home in on hospital virus

Health authorities say they are close to identifying a highly infectious gastrointestinal virus that has left a medical ward partly closed at Coffs Harbour Hospital.

Health authorities say they are close to identifying a highly infectious gastrointestinal virus that has left a medical ward partly closed at Coffs Harbour Hospital.The Mid-North Coast Area Health Service says the infection put 12 staff off sick three weeks ago, and the source is still to be identified, but test results are pointing to a particular strain of virus.The medical ward remains in quarantine after a patient showed symptoms of the virus on Tuesday, but area health says that was the first case in 48 hours.Communicable diseases public health officer Sean Gibney says it is suspected the bug is the norwalk virus, a common cause of gastroenteritis worldwide.”It most often occurs in outbreaks, but can also occur sporadically,” he said.”Its peak seasonal incidence is usually in winter, but it happens all year around. This norwalk virus is highly infectious. You only need a small amount of the viral particles to become infected.”(Source: ABC, Thursday, July 10, 2003. 10:35am (AEST))