FOOD BORNE ILLNESS / NOROVIRUS In the event of food-borne illness or a viral outbreak, our priority is the safety of our guests and Associates. The following procedures are general in nature and are intended for the welfare of guests and Associates but also to minimize spread of any outbreak; however, it is also vital that reports are completed in full, that investigations are properly conducted, that actions and communications are properly documented, and that claims procedures are followed. GENERAL INFORMATION Virus: micro-organism that spreads easily and can cause vomiting and diarrhea in humans. Outbreaks are common in areas where people are in close proximity (hotels, schools, hospitals, cruise ships, etc.) Norovirus: a type of highly infectious virus, with outbreaks increasing substantially in recent years. Food Borne Illness: an illness resulting from the consumption of food, water or other beverage containing microbiological or chemical contamination, i.e. Salmonella, Campylobacter, Viruses, beer line cleaner in beverages. Physical Food Contamination: An illness or injury arising from the accidental or deliberate contamination of food from physical objects such as glass or metal in food. An Incident: a situation where a case of foodborne illness or food contamination can be isolated to one person and there are no other directly related cases. An Outbreak: a situation where there are two or more related cases of foodborne illness or a food contamination incident where guests experience the same or similar symptoms within the same time frame or after consuming a common food or beverage. • Symptoms: vomiting (sometimes violent/unexpected and projectile); nausea; diarrhea; headache; fever; muscle ache. • Incubation period: 24-48 hours, i.e. one report of illness, then 24-48 hours later another report. This pattern will continue if control measures are not put in place immediately. • Duration is usually very short, and patients recover within 48 hours. SPREAD of VIRUS • Airborne: viruses may be spread from the vomit of a sick person. When sudden projectile vomiting occurs, a fine mist of virus particles is emitted which lands on any hard contact surface. • Hand to mouth: infection occurs when a person touches a contaminated surface and has hand to mouth contact before thoroughly washing hands. Housekeeping Associates are very vulnerable to this method of spreading the virus, particularly when cleaning up bodily fluids, toilets, taps, and all hard surfaces around where the illness occurred.
Page 61
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease