Family and friends of Rainycrest residents once again are welcome to visit there after the Northwestern Health Unit lifted its restriction over the weekend.
About two weeks after 25 residents fell ill with a gastrointestinal virus, the health unit reported no more cases of the unidentified bug were evident.
“It was never confirmed to be Norwalk but it certainly looked to be so,” said team leader Ken Allan, referring to a virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea, and is transmitted through contact.
Residents reportedly were sick for only a few days. But as people got better, some others caught the virus, forcing the health unit to keep the visitor ban in place until every case died out.
“Standard practice in the case of an interic disease is to wait a 48- period after the last case resolves,” noted Allan.
The two-week closure was the second quarantine of Rainycrest since January, when the Influenza ‘A’ virus infected about 15 residents.
Even though warmer weather has become more frequent, Allan said that didn’t necessarily mean there would be no more quarantines in the near future.
“You can get cold or ‘flu anytime. But we hope they wouldn’t have another communicable illness there right away,” he remarked.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
