October 23, 2017
To: Administrators
From: Stacy Johnson RN, BSN Winnebago County Public Health Department
Regarding: Gastrointestinal and Respiratory Outbreaks
A friendly reminder that it is the time of year when Long-term Care Facilities, Assisted Living and Independent Senior Living Facilities start to see an increase in gastrointestinal(GI) and respiratory (ARI) outbreaks among residents and or staff. It is important to review the guidelines and be prepared before you have an outbreak.
A GI outbreak is defined as 3 or more residents and or staff from the same unit/work area with the same GI symptoms that occurs within 48 hours. A respiratory disease outbreak is defined as 2 or more residents and or staff from the same unit with illness onsets within 72 hours of each other who have pneumonia, ARI or laboratory confirmed viral or bacterial infection (including influenza). If this occurs, please call the Winnebago County Health Department at (920)-232-3000 to report the incident. It is important to report so that infection control precautions can be initiated and the outbreak can be prevented and controlled within the facility. This helps decrease the spread of infection within your facility and our community.
Thank you for your participation and efforts to keep your residents and staff healthy throughout the year.
Please do not hesitate to call Winnebago County Health Department with questions, (920)-232-3000 and ask to speak to a communicable disease nurse.
Thank you,
