St. Mary's General Hospital has closed a fifth floor General Medicine unit to new patients after a gastrointestinal illness continued to spread over the weekend.

Fifteen patients and eight staff have now experienced symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever.

On Friday, the hospital had introduced new precautions for visitors, after four patients and three staff fell ill.

No new admissions or transfers are being allowed to the 30-bed unit, which currently holds about 20 patients.

Patients who would normally be admitted to that unit are being accommodated elsewhere in the hospital.

Sandra Hett, vice president of patient services and chief nursing executive says "We are asking other patients to stay in their rooms. Everybody is in an isolation situation…and we are asking visitors if possible to stay away, but clearly we understand the importance of visitors."

She also says visitors should follow all infection control precautions when visiting, leave the hospital immediately after a visit and not visit if they are ill.

Visitors are asked to:

  • wash hands on arrival at the hospital
  • report to the nursing station before visiting
  • wash hands on arrival at the unit
  • wear a gown and gloves before entering a room
  • use hand gel before leaving the unit

The hospital is working with Waterloo Region Public Health to manage the outbreak and laboratory tests are underway to determine the nature of the illness.

However, it does not appear to be related to earlier problems with the highly contagious C. difficile bacteria found at St. Mary's and several other hospitals in the area.