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First there were the fires. Then there were ashes and contaminated water. Now, some survivors of Southern California’s wildfires are grappling with norovirus outbreaks and other stomach ailments at a shelter created to help evacuees.
The Pasadena Public Health Department confirmed Friday that three people tested positive for norovirus among a group of 28 people suffering from “acute gastrointestinal illness” at the Pasadena evacuation shelter.
Norovirus can cause severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration. Most people get better without treatment within one to three days, but the disease is highly contagious and can spread quickly and easily, usually through contaminated surfaces, food, and water. Some groups, such as older people or people with weakened immune systems, are at higher risk of serious illness.
The Pasadena Public Health Department said in an email that it is providing guidance and support to the American Red Cross, which operates the shelter at the Pasadena Convention Center.
The Red Cross said it was doing everything it could to keep residents safe.
“The health and well-being of the residents in our care is a top priority,” said Stephanie Fox, media relations manager at American Red Cross national headquarters.
Fox says health care workers are available to provide on-site care to anyone who feels ill. Kaiser Permanente confirmed it has set up a health care clinic at the evacuation center and AltaMed Health Services is also providing medical care there.
“The spread of disease in congregate living settings, including shelters, is unfortunately common given the close quarters and common areas,” Pasadena Public Health said in an email. “This year, the community has experienced higher than normal levels of norovirus.”
Surveillance data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows norovirus outbreaks are worse than they have been in more than a decade.
Nearly 500 outbreaks were reported between August and mid-December, according to CDC data, a third more than the same period last season.
California is not part of the National Outbreak Reporting System that the CDC uses for norovirus monitoring, but wastewater monitoring data from another program, WastewaterSCAN, shows norovirus levels are higher than the national average at many of the state’s testing sites.
When a Pasadena shelter resident becomes ill, the Red Cross said, it does everything it can to limit exposure by isolating them in an area separate from where healthy residents stay.
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“At this time, our partners at the Los Angeles County Department of Health and Kaiser Permanente are providing 24-hour medical care to affected residents in our shelters, and those with symptoms are resting in another part of the establishment, away from the general population. As a result of these efforts, the spread of the disease has been minimal,” Fox said.
The shelter has also taken safety precautions, including making hand sanitizer available. Volunteers handling food must wear gloves and cleaning supplies are available on site for staff.
Pasadena Public Health said additional control measures include having hand-washing stations, cleaning restrooms frequently and using disinfectants strong enough to kill norovirus.
“The (health department) team will continue to meet with health service partners on site and monitor the situation to prevent further spread,” the department said.
CNN’s Deidre Philips contributed to this report.