Health Officials Working To Stop Ogden Norovirus Outbreak
Aug 31, 2018, 7:19 PM | Updated: 7:20 pm
FILE: Weber-Morgan Health Department.
OGDEN, Utah – Weber County health officials said they hoped to stop an outbreak of norovirus from spreading further. So far, the director of the Weber-Morgan Health Department said dozens of people have been sickened.
Brian Bennion, director of the department, said the outbreak happened among a group of people who had gotten together for a ward party on Wednesday, August 22.
Bennion did not specify what neighborhood of Ogden was involved. By that Friday, he said the first person reported being sick. Over the next week, he said 40 to 50 had become sick.
Norovirus causes vomiting and diarrhea and is very contagious, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People can pick up the virus from direct contact with another infected person, touching contaminated food or water, or touching contaminated surfaces.
Bennion said proper hygiene is a key factor in stopping the spread of norovirus.
“Sanitation gel is not enough. You need to make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly. You can use the gel in addition to. If you’re caring for people that are sick, it’s really important to do that,” he said.
Officials have not figured out the source of the outbreak, but said they have ruled out the food that was catered for the event. No one was sickened severely enough to require hospitalization.
