Atria Merrywood — an assisted living center in Charlotte, N.C. — is currently quarantining residents due to an outbreak of norovirus, NBC Charlotte reports.
An unidentified daughter of two center residents reportedly told NBC Charlotte that residents began experiencing symptoms of norovirus a month ago and have since been confined to their rooms. The daughter expressed concern for the care of the residents and their overall well-being due to the isolation, citing the meeting of dietary requirements as an issue of particular concern.
NBC Charlotte reportedly reached out to Atria Merrywood for comment, but the inquiry was not immediately returned.
In a statement provided to Becker's via email, Heather Anderson, executive director of Atria Merrywood, said, "As a retirement community, our residents are free to come and go as they please. That has remained the case in recent weeks, even as Atria Merrywood has experienced a few cases of norovirus. During that time, we remained in close contact with the Mecklenburg County Health Department, which has complimented our staff's diligence in following the department's recommendations and guidelines to prevent further spread of illness. Among those guidelines, we have encouraged affected residents to remain in their apartments until 96 hours after their symptoms subsided. In line with health department guidelines as well as Atria's own safety protocols, we also temporarily suspended transportation services and communal dining, while continuing to ensure that our residents' dietary needs and preferences were met in their own apartments."
The facility was cleaned by a professional cleaning crew for two days and Ms. Anderson expects the center to return to normal operations within the week.
Norovirus is highly contagious and the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, which is the inflammation of the stomach and/or intestines. Common symptoms are stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. It can be transmitted by food, water or physical contact with a contaminated surface.
For more information on norovirus, click here.
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