As of 4 p.m. Friday, the number of Tobey Hospital patients with gastrointestinal symptoms has returned to normal, according to a Southcoast Hospital Group press release.

An outbreak of a highly contagious virus among patients and staff prompted officials to take precautions to keep it from spreading. Southcoast Hospital Groups has requested that anybody who has suffered from stomach virus and flu-like symptoms within the past 48 hours not visit Southcoast hospitals in an effort to stop the virus, which was identified by officials as 'norovirus,' which causes inflammation of the stomach and large and small intestine.

All three Southcoast hospitals will continue to operate under heightened precautions throughout the weekend, but are expected to return to normal operation by Monday, according to the press release.

"There is no need to panic," Southcoast Hospitals Public Information Officer Joyce Brennan said earlier Friday. "We feel that it's subsiding, based on that there hasn't been a large increase over the last 24-hours, but we are continuing to monitor, and efforts will continue to be enforced over the next few days."

Patients suffering from the virus experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.  The virus is considered highly contagious, but it usually passes within 1-2 days. However, symptoms can not appear until as long as 48 hours after a person ingests the virus.

Brennan said that seven patients were identified with the symptoms on Tuesday, Dec. 7.  The next day, 14 patients and members of the staff reported symptoms, and the hospital instituted precautions to contain the spread of the virus.  On Friday afternoon, Brennan said that the hospital had treated approximately 35 people since the onset.

"Some were treated and released, some were staff members who reported symptoms and did not come into work, and fewer than ten were inpatients," said Brennan.

"We've stepped up our measures, of course," said Brennan.  "This is not an uncommon occurrence, put into place certain measures to contain the virus and hopefully defuse the situation."

Brennan said that the hospital will lift its extra precautions after 72-hours have passed without significant numbers of patients and staff exhibiting symptoms.

Julia Hurley of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said that norovirus outbreaks were common.

"It's the most common cause of epidemic gastroenteritis," Hurley said, adding that, like the flu, outbreaks increase during the winter season.  "We kind of expect to get reports right about now. They are very disruptive, people feel awful, but they don’t result in much severe illness leading to hospitalization or death."

For more information on noroviruses, visit Norovirus FAQs.