SAINT JOHN • A Saint John nursing home has declared its lengthy COVID-19 outbreak over, but it’s now on guard for Norwalk.

In a social media post Tuesday, Rocmaura Nursing Home warned that Norwalk is “present in the community,” reminding people to wash their hands and know the symptoms of the virus. On Sunday, Carleton-Kirk Lodge Nursing Home announced via social media it had closed its doors to visitors due to some residents experiencing symptoms of the Norwalk virus.

Rocmaura executive director Sheana Mohra said there weren’t any active Norwalk cases in the 150-bed nursing home as of Wednesday, but nevertheless the home wanted the public to “know what it looks like” and to avoid visiting the nursing home if they have it.

On Monday, Rocmaura announced its COVID-19 outbreak, which began on Jan. 14, was finally over. About 105 of the nursing home’s 148 residents became ill with the virus, along with several staff members, Mohra said.

There was one death associated with the outbreak, she said, as a resident survived COVID-19 but died shortly after recovering.

Though the nursing home’s COVID-19 outbreak is over, and the province has lifted all COVID-19 restrictions, nursing homes are private entities, Mohra said, and Rocmaura still has rules in place.

The nursing home will be rapid-testing residents three times per week, she said, and there are three “designated support person” visitors allowed per resident.

Everyone in the nursing home is required to wear a mask when they’re near other people, she said.

“We’re watching to see what will happen before we go any further, if there’s an explosion of COVID in the community,” she said, noting the province is just over one week out from all restrictions being dropped.

If things become “more stable,” she said, visiting restrictions may ease.

On Tuesday, the province reported 129 New Brunswickers were in hospital with COVID-19, with 16 in intensive care. Last week, 16 people died of the virus. Nearly 6,000 new cases of COVID-19 were reported between March 15 and 22.

While a COVID-19 outbreak may be in the rearview mirror for the nursing home, it’s keeping an eye on Norwalk, a virus that spreads through unwashed hands and through direct contact with infected individuals, the living environment, and contaminated water or food.

The Norovirus can cause acute gastrointestinal illness, with symptoms like nausea, diarrhea and projectile vomiting lasting up to 48 hours.

“People should be aware of hand sanitizing, and be careful with their symptoms,” Mohra said. “If there’s vomiting and diarrhea, don’t be out and about where there are vulnerable people.”

Those who experience symptoms should also try to isolate for 48 hours after symptoms stop, she said, as it’s still possible to spread the disease within that window.

So far in 2022, Public Health has confirmed two outbreaks of Norovirus, according to Gail Harding, a communications representative with Public Health.

Norovirus cases or outbreaks occur year round and are common within households and group settings where people are in close contact with one another, including nursing homes, hospitals, child-care centres, schools and residential living facilities, Harding said in an emailed statement.

“Norovirus is very infectious and can spread very easily,” she said. “Anyone exposed to the virus can become ill. Symptoms appear suddenly, about 24 to 48 hours after a person becomes infected with the virus.”

Young children, the elderly and persons with weakened immune systems are at a greater risk of developing more serious illness, she said, and “to prevent the spread of these viruses, it is important to thoroughly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces and practice good handwashing techniques.”

The Telegraph-Journal requested comment from the Carleton-Kirk Lodge Nursing Home, but it wasn’t available for comment Wednesday.

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