Welcome to Monday’s Hawke’s Bay District Health Board update August 22
Presentations to Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s Emergency Department and to General Practice with people who have a gastro illnesses continues to tail off.
Chief Executive of the Hawke's Bay District Health Board Dr Kevin Snee said all the reports from the various health agencies showed there was a continuing decline in people sick with gastro illnesses. Healthline calls had also dropped off considerably with less than four calls overnight, he said.
Dr Snee said the district health board would now transition into a recovery status, however Public Health’s focus would remain on the outbreak. As part of that they would be undertaking another telephone survey of some Havelock North residents tonight.
The district health board continues to stress the need for vigilance in preventing secondary infections by making sure good hand hygiene rules were followed. More can be found out about safe hand washing from Our Health website.
Dr William Rainger Acting Medical Officer of Health for Hawke’s Bay District Board said there was some anecdotal information of people getting sick again but there was no evidence of a second wave, and this was likely to be a recurrence of symptoms from the original bug.
“All the evidence we are seeing, since the water was chlorinated, is that the outbreak is waning and there is no evidence of a second wave,” Dr Rainger said.
As of today the district health board had 168 confirmed notifications of campylobacter and 355 probable making a total of 523. However the data we have been collecting suggests more than 4000 people have been affected by the outbreak.
Hospitalisations to Hawke’s Bay Hospital are currently sitting at eight in general wards with one patient in intensive care, who had tested positive to campylobacter but was being cared for in intensive care for an health issue unrelated to campylobacter.
There were two presentations to the Emergency Department of people with gastro illness overnight.
GPs saw about 11 patients yesterday and again for St John it was business as usual.
Aged Residential Care is also reporting that their numbers of gastro illness are decreasing.
The district health board reminds people that there are two illnesses which can be associated with campylobacter. Reactive Arthritis was one and while it was painful and affected more than one joint it would usually respond well to anti-inflammatories and treatment from a GP. The other, which is rare, is Guillain-Barré syndrome a neurological condition which hospital specialists are all trained and well equipped to treat should it arise. Information and reminders to be on the watch for these two illnesses has been sent to health professionals in Hawke’s Bay.
The main message is if people weren’t getting better or were feeling worse they needed to see their doctor or call Healthline 0800 611 116.
GENERAL HEALTH ADVICE
GPs have also asked us to remind the public that diarrhoea increases the risk of the contraceptive pill failing. Women need to take extra contraception to prevent getting pregnant if they have diarrhoea.
The boil water notice remains in place for Havelock North only.
