By Healthcare Facilities Today

When norovirus strikes, Avamere Crestview of Portland is ready, according to an article on The Oregonian website.

Staff members urge residents of the long-term care facility and nursing home to stay in their rooms. Employees don gowns, masks and gloves, the article said. Rooms are wiped down with a heavy-duty disinfectant.

That diligence has paid off at Avamere, one of 607 nursing homes and long-term care facilities licensed by the Oregon Department of Human Services. The Southwest Portland residence had two outbreaks earlier this year but both were handled quickly, according to recent statistics released by the Oregon Public Health Division.

 However, the state data show that norovirus remains a persistent problem in Oregon for nursing homes and long-term care facilities, where people tend to be more medically fragile and are cooped-up indoors where the virus can easily spread, according to the article.

Since 2002, norovirus has sickened more than 23,000 people in 714 outbreaks in Oregon’s residential-care facilities. The institutions saw a sharp surge in 2006, when a new strain appeared, just as it did this past norovirus season, which generally runs from November through April.

“We’re constantly vigilant,” said Deborah Nedelcove, vice president of risk management at Avamere.

Read the article.