Help stop the spread of respiratory and enteric illness

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is alerting residents of increasing cases and outbreaks of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness. Higher levels of sickness are being reported for influenza and enteric illness—likely due to norovirus—in child care settings, long-term care and retirement homes, and in the community. Other respiratory illnesses, like COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), continue to circulate.

“It’s important to protect ourselves from being infected and from potentially spreading illness to others who are at higher risk of worse health outcomes,” said Jonathan Groulx, a manager in Public Health Sudbury & District’s Health Protection Division. “People who are sick can spread illness to others while they are ill, and in the case for norovirus, for up to two days after their symptoms stop. It’s critical to stay away from people who are at higher risk for another 48 hours after symptoms go away,” said Groulx.

Many symptoms for gastrointestinal and respiratory illness are similar, which can make it difficult to know what virus is making a person sick. Regardless of what might be making a person sick, take precautions to protect yourself and others.

Prevent the spread of illness and protect yourself and others

• If you are sick, you should stay at home and self-isolate until you don’t have a fever and your other symptoms have been improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if you had gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea).
• If you must leave your home, for example, for testing or medical care, wear a well-fitted mask.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and discard used tissues immediately in the garbage and wash your hands.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and often (for at least 15 seconds), especially after using the bathroom, before eating or preparing food, as well as before entering or leaving a long-term care or retirement home, hospital, or daycare.
• Use an alcohol-based hand rub if your hands are clean and washing your hands is not possible.
• If you are at higher risk of severe outcomes from infection, consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor public settings.
• Do not handle or prepare food for anyone if you are ill.
• Carefully clean up vomit or feces. Wash or discard anything that was contaminated and disinfect all surfaces.
• Clean and disinfect washrooms and all surfaces that people frequently touch at least once per day with a solution made with 1 part household bleach and 9 parts water. Most disinfecting wipes and household sprays DO NOT kill norovirus.

Vaccination

Getting vaccinated now and staying up to date with vaccinations for influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is still a good idea. We are in the middle of the season for respiratory illness, and increasing your protection for the remainder of the season is a wise choice.

Infection prevention and control

Public Health works closely with hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes, and other congregate care settings to ensure infection prevention and control measures are in place and to help control outbreaks of illness and minimize spread to people who are most vulnerable. Please follow the handwashing and masking guidelines at hospitals or long-term care or retirement homes, and avoid visiting residents or patients if you don’t feel well.

Regular updates

Public Health publishes weekly information online about local activity levels of respiratory illness, including COVID-19, influenza, and RSV, and posts information about all active outbreaks in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts related to respiratory and enteric illness.

For more information on respiratory and enteric illness and precautions to take, please visit phsd.ca or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).