It is the time of year when we start to see an increase in gastrointestinal (GI) and an acute respiratory illness (ARI) outbreaks among residents and staff of Long-term Care Facilities, Assisted Living and Independent Senior Living Facilities. Now is a good time to review the guidelines for outbreaks and start preparing your facility.

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 occur within 72 hours or each other. The predominant illness is norovirus . Here is a link to the Recommendations for the prevention and control of norovirus and norovirus-like outbreaks in Wisconsin long-term care facilities.

A respiratory outbreak is defined as 3 or more residents and or staff from the same unit/work area with illness onset within 72 hours of each other who have pneumonia, ARI or laboratory confirmed viral or bacterial infection (including influenza). Here is a link to the Reporting, prevention and control of acute respiratory illness outbreaks in long-term care facilities .

Please report an outbreak as soon as it is identified by calling the Winnebago County Health Department at (920)232-3000.

If you have any questions or need assistance please contact the Winnebago County Health Department at 920-232-3000 and ask for a Communicable Disease Nurse. You may also contact us by email at [email protected]