The Wayland Police and Fire departments sent out a joint notice on Feb. 3 concerning a norovirus outbreak at a local assisted living center.
Acting Police Chief Mark Hebert and Fire Chief Neil McPherson reported that their departments responded to The Residence at Paine Estate at 10 Green Way around 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 3 in response to reports of numerous residents with symptoms consistent with norovirus. Five people were taken from the facility for treatment.
“This is not one of those situations that you can predict, but the public safety team handled this in an effective and timely manner,” said McPherson.
“We want to thank our mutual aid partners (Brewster Ambulance in Framingham and Sudbury Fire) for their assistance with these calls.”
Norovirus infection can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea that start suddenly. Noroviruses are highly contagious and are commonly spread through contaminated food or water, or through contaminated surfaces. It can also spread through close contact with a person who has norovirus infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
Diarrhea, stomach pain, and vomiting typically begin 12 to 48 hours after exposure and usually last 1 to 3 days. Most people recover completely without treatment. However, for some — especially young children, older adults and people with other medical conditions — vomiting and diarrhea can be severely dehydrating and require medical attention.
According to the notice, Wayland’s public health nurse, town officials, police, and fire met with the assistant executive director at The Residence at Paine Estate and have talked to other assisted living facilities in Wayland.
