Norovirus Food Poisoning Warning!

In the winter season, the risk of food poisoning caused by norovirus increases, and children and seniors whose immune systems are weaker need to be especially careful.

WHAT IS NOROVIRUS?

You can catch it through contact with someone with the virus or by eating contaminated foods.

• Symptoms usually include vomiting, diarrhea and/or fever, which appear in 24 to 48 hours (one to two days) after ingesting the virus and last one to two days. Patients usually recover in a couple of days without subsequent complications. Sometimes, those infected may have no symptoms and can infect others without knowing.
• Infected persons may infect others by spreading the virus via feces or vomit for up to 1 to 4 weeks after recovery. You must use caution when dealing with the patient’s vomit and feces.
• There are no medicines available that can treat a norovirus infection. If you are infected, drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, and get enough nutrition, but if the symptoms are severe, seek medical advice.
• Cleaning the patient’s vomit and feces up requires precaution. It is highly recommended you use disposable surgical masks, rubber gloves and chlorinated disinfectant cleanser. It should be done as soon as possible as once norovirus dries up, it can become airborne and float into the mouth.

TIPS TO PREVENT INFECTION

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap, particularly before preparing food and after using the toilet.
• Do not cook if you have symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea.
• Use rubber gloves when you cook.
• Cook foods well at 85 to 90 degrees for 90 seconds. Be careful especially of bivalve shellfish such as clams, oysters and scallops.
• Wash and disinfect cooking utensils, tablecloths and dish towels well.
• Wash your hands well with soap before eating.
• Eat well cooked food.
• Clean up and disinfect the patient’s vomit and feces, the contaminated clothes and floor thoroughly.
• Clean and disinfect toilets and rooms, especially areas which you touch with your hands a lot.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after cleaning up the vomit and feces.
• Use disposable cloth or paper for cleaning.
• Ventilate the room well during and after cleaning up the vomit and feces.

INQUIRIES:

Shokuhin Hoken Ka (Foods & Health Division) Tel. 241-7434 Fax. 241-2567

Enrollment Applications for Parents and Guardians Who Wish to Enroll Their Children in Nursery School from April 2019

The 1st application acceptance period for 2019 April enrollment in nursery schools will begin on Thursday, November 22, 2018 at the Hoken Fukushi Ka of all ward offices (Fukushi Ka for Higashi ward office). The lists of available schools, “Hoikuen no Ichiran”, will be provided in print at the Hoken Fukushi Ka of the ward offices (Fukushi Ka for Higashi ward office), branch offices and available schools and online at Hiroshima City’s website from Thursday, November 22.

INQUIRIES:

Hoken Fukushi Ka (Health & Welfare Division)

WHO:

Children whose parents or guardians are incapable of taking care of them at home during the daytime because of work, health conditions, family affairs, etc.

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED:

(1) Application for children who wish to attend nursery school from April 2019

Parents and guardians should submit the prescribed application form and a formal document stating that their child needs to attend school. Application forms will be available from Thursday, November 22 at the Hoken Fukushi Ka (Health & Social Welfare Division) of each ward office (Fukushi Ka for Higashi ward office) and branch office, and at nursery schools.

(2) Application for parents and guardians who have applied to have their children attend nursery school, but have not yet received notification of admission

The Hoken Fukushi Ka (Health & Welfare Division) of the ward office (Fukushi Ka for Higashi ward office) in the same area as the school you want your child to attend will send you a notice.

APPLICATION SCHEDULE:

Please apply at the Hoken Fukushi Ka (Health & Welfare Division) of the ward office (Fukushi Ka for Higashi ward office) in the same area as the school you want your child to attend between Thursday, November 22, 2018 and Thursday, January 10, 2019. The offices are open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays.

TEMPORARY EXTENDED HOURS

In addition to regular business hours, the Hoken Fukushi Ka (Health & Welfare Division) of the ward office (Fukushi Ka for Higashi ward office) will accept your application at the following times:

Thursday, December 20, 2018 and Tuesday, January 8, 2019 8:30 am – 8:00 pm

Sunday, December 23, 2018 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

2nd APPLICATION ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

For those who have applied but have been placed on a waiting list or could not apply during the 1st acceptance period (November 22 – January 10), re-application will be accepted between Monday, February 18 and Monday, February 25, 2019.

APPLICATION ACCEPTANCE PERIOD FOR 2019 MARCH ENROLLMENT

For those who want their child to attend a nursery school from March 2019, applications will be accepted until Thursday, January 10, 2019.

Free Back Issues of Newspapers & Magazines

DATE & TIME:

Sunday, November 18 – Sunday, December 2 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

PLACE:

International Exchange Lounge, International Conference Center Hiroshima (1-5 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku)

CONTENT:

Newspapers and magazines issued between May and October in 2017 will be available for free on a first-come, first served basis. (Up to 10 newspapers and 5 magazines per person.)

INQUIRIES:

International Exchange Lounge Tel. 247-9715 Fax. 242-7452

Free Counseling (Dermatology)

DATE &TIME:

Sunday, November 18 9:00 am – 11:30 am

PLACE:

Kenko Zukuri Center (Health Promotion Center) (3-8-6 Senda-machi, Naka-ku)

COUNSELING:

Medical specialists will provide counseling on skin troubles. Counseling is only available in Japanese.

INQUIRIES:

Kenko Zukuri Center Tel. 243-2451 Fax. 241-0414

Free Legal Advice about Problems at Work

A shiho-shoshi (solicitor) will provide advice to people who have problems at work.

DATE & TIME:

Friday, November 23, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

COUNSELLING:

Counseling is only available in Japanese.

・Telephone counselling: Please call 511-7196

・Face to face counselling: Reservations are required. Please call 511-7196 (available on weekdays only from noon – 3:00 pm) for reservations.

PLACE:

Shihoshoshi Kaikan (6-69 Kami-hatchobori, Naka-ku)

INQUIRIES:

Shihoshoshi Kai (Judicial Scrivener Association) Tel. 221-5345 Fax. 223-4382

Garbage Collection on November 23

Combustibles, PET bottles and recyclable plastic will NOT be collected on November 23. However, recyclable garbage, toxic garbage, plastics (other than PET bottles or recyclable plastic such as containers or packaging) and incombustible garbage will be collected according to schedule.

INQUIRIES:

Gyomu Daiichi Ka (Operation Division I) Tel. 504-2220 Fax. 504-2229

Temporary Closure

Higashi-ku Library

CLOSED:

From Wednesday, November 28 to Tuesday, December 4

INQUIRIES:

Higashi-ku Library Tel. 262-5522 Fax. 264-2610