A spate of vomiting and diarrhoea among staff and residents of a Cottingham care home has seen public health officials step in to help control the outbreak.
Experts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are investigating reports of sickness at Cottingham Manor Care Home, with Norovirus a possible cause. UKHSA Health Protection Consultant Dr Charlotte Stansfield said outbreak control measures including not admitting new residents had been agreed with the home.
Cottingham Manor Care Home declined to comment. The outbreak is set to be monitored by the East Riding of Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership going forward and will recommend any further measures if necessary.
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UKHSA and East Riding Council public health teams’ investigations into the outbreak at the care home, in Harland Way, remain ongoing. UKHSA has advised the care home on how to help residents recover if they have experienced symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea.
Agency Consultant for Yorkshire and the Humber Dr Stansfield said staff at the care home have been advised to seek medical attention if their symptoms are severe. The official said: “Early indications are that it is a viral infection, possibly Norovirus.
“Members of staff have been advised to stay off work until they have been free of symptoms for 48 hours. Outbreak control measures have been agreed and the care home have been advised to consider not admitting any new residents for a brief period in order to limit any further spread of the infection.”
Norovirus, currently deemed the probable cause of the outbreak, is a stomach bug which can easily spread between people. UKHSA advises people who have experienced diarrhoea and vomiting to stay away from work or school until they have been free of symptoms for 48 hours.
The agency also recommends that people practice good hygiene, including hand washing, especially when preparing or eating food. Surfaces should be thoroughly disinfected in areas where there has been an outbreak, especially communal places like toilets and objects touched by multiple people like door handles and light switches.
Phone consultations with doctors are also recommended to avoid spreading infections in GP surgeries or A&E departments. People tend to naturally recover from episodes of vomiting and diarrhoea without treatment but plentiful drinking to replace lost fluids is encouraged.
Cottingham Manor Care Home was registered with regulators the Care Quality Commission in June 2022. It is owned by Yorkare Homes (Cottingham) Ltd and offers care for people over 65 including those suffering from dementia, physical disabilities and sensory impairments.
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Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
