Virus over at local nursing home

A virus that swept through a New Hanover County nursing home seems to have run its course.

Last week, it was reported as 100 residents at the Davis Health Care Center on Porters Neck Road had been infected by a 24-hour virus.

Executive director Charles Long said the center contacted the health department for help in dealing with the problem.

Communicable Disease Program Director Vivian Mears said it’s common for viruses to pass between nursing home residents, noting sometimes restricting visitors is the best way to protect the sick. “If they already have one illness and they have someone come in from the outside, who may have an illness also, a different illness, they can compound their problems.”

Residents experienced nausea and diarrhea as a result of the virus. It took about 2 and a half weeks for the illness to make it’s way through the nursing home, but Long says all of the residents are now symptom free.