Three-week delay on gastro outbreak alert
A recent report from NSW Health revealed efficient monitoring of a gastro outbreak in hospital emergency departments could give experts a two-day head start in warning nursing homes and childcare facilities.
The report said it could take up to 20 days for alerts to be issued.
"Monitoring an ED gastrointestinal syndrome can provide the opportunity for two days earlier warning of disease activity that can put institutionalised residents at risk," the internal document reads.
"The median reporting delay was 20 days."
The revelation follows... the death of 10 residents in a Blue Mountains nursing home after two outbreaks of gastroenteritis hit more than 80 people, last month.
Most of the test results have come back and have returned a negative result but officials were confident the outbreak was food-related.
A source told The Daily Telegraph delayed reports of the Blue Mountains outbreak had hindered investigations.
The source said delays made it difficult for investigators trying to trace the source of the food contamination.
In May NSW public health units investigated 46 outbreaks of gastroenteritis where 662 people were affected.
Source : News.com
The report said it could take up to 20 days for alerts to be issued.
"Monitoring an ED gastrointestinal syndrome can provide the opportunity for two days earlier warning of disease activity that can put institutionalised residents at risk," the internal document reads.
"The median reporting delay was 20 days."
The revelation follows... the death of 10 residents in a Blue Mountains nursing home after two outbreaks of gastroenteritis hit more than 80 people, last month.
Most of the test results have come back and have returned a negative result but officials were confident the outbreak was food-related.
A source told The Daily Telegraph delayed reports of the Blue Mountains outbreak had hindered investigations.
The source said delays made it difficult for investigators trying to trace the source of the food contamination.
In May NSW public health units investigated 46 outbreaks of gastroenteritis where 662 people were affected.
Source : News.com