Those who attended the Esoteric festival in Donald on 8-12 March warned about Shigella bacteria
Victoria’s health department says at least 260 festival goers have reported gastroenteritis symptoms after attending a dance music festival, with authorities urging anyone showing signs of shigellosis to be tested.
had been detected in a number of those with gastroenteritis. Symptoms could take up to a week to emerge after exposure. The highly contagious bacterial infection causes the acute onset of diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and fever. It is spread by the foecal-oral route or contaminated food.Preliminary results suggest the outbreak was caused by an antimicrobial resistant strain of Shigella and would not respond to antibiotics. “If you attended or worked at the Esoteric festival last weekend and have gastro symptoms, you may have Shigella and be at risk of spreading it,” a Victorian health department spokesperson said.“We’re asking that you please seek medical care and get a test for Shigella, and not return to work until 48 hours after symptoms resolve.” They said that those who had the illness and work in food handling, with children, or in aged care should only return to work if they have received a negative test result and have had no symptoms for 48 hours. Patrons and staff who were returning to locations within Victoria and interstate may develop symptoms in the coming days, authorities warned. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Dr Rebekah Hoffman, chair of the New South Wales and ACT branch of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said Shigella was “really uncommon” in Australia.Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters“Gastroenteritis is usually viral, not bacterial. When you put lots of people together and they don’t have the best hand hygiene, Shigella is more likely to be spread,” she said. “You get really sick from it. We really worry about dehydration and you might be sick enough to have blood and mucus in your stool as well. It is more than the usual gastro.”Anyone with symptoms has been encouraged to stay hydrated and practise good hand hygiene. Those who attended the festival and work with elderly people or children should be particularly vigilant, even if not showing any symptoms, she said, adding that anyone who has had gastroenteritis should avoid swimming pools for two weeks after symptoms clear.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Man arrested over disappearance of Victorian mother Samantha Murphy9News understands the man is not connected to the family.
Read more »
Man Arrested Over Disappearance of Victorian Mother Samantha MurphyDetectives from the Missing Persons Squad have been investigating since the mother-of-three failed to return from an early morning run in the regional city of Ballarat. The 51-year-old is captured on CCTV wearing black leggings and a maroon/brown-coloured singlet - she also has her phone and smartwatch with her. Police launch an investigation and her husband expresses concerns. The disappearance is being treated as suspicious.
Read more »
Victorian Mother Linked to Alleged Murderer with School ConnectionA Victorian mother-of-three who went missing last month has been linked to her alleged murderer, who attended the same school where she worked. Despite the small-town connection, they had never met. The alleged murderer was arrested at a Ballarat home and is accused of killing the woman on February 4. Her body has not been found yet.
Read more »
Mob of hopping kangaroos invade Victorian golf courseGolfer Stephen Roche must have thought he&x27;d gone hopping mad when he saw the stream of &x27;roos approaching him.
Read more »
CFA advises Victorian festivalgoers to stay home amid extreme weather forecastMelbourne is predicted to hit a windy 39 degrees while Adelaide is expecting a top of 40 degrees.
Read more »
Victorian budget: $12b debt blowout sets scene for horror budget for Treasurer Tim PallasRatings agency S&P says Victoria could face a daily interest bill of $30 million by 2027 after it was revealed state debt has already grown to $126 billion.
Read more »