Two Vancouver-area hospitals have reported an outbreak of the highly contagious intestinal bug known as the Norwalk virus.

Burnaby General Hospital and St. Vincent's Langara long-term care facility are the first Canadian hospitals to report a major outbreak of the virus this year.

With 90 people affected by the virus to date, patients at the hospitals are very concerned.

"I went up that floor and there's no warning sign and my nurse said 'You can't go up there because there's a virus going on,'" James Steward, a patient recovering from an amputation surgery at Burnaby General, told CTV.

Hospital officials believe a visitor brought the virus.

The symptoms of the virus, which last two to three days, include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

"We've had a total of 27 patients who've been ill with stomach flu, Norwalk virus if you will, and 47 staff members," Don Bower, a spokesperson for the Fraser Health Authority, told CTV.

The virus, which is not lethal, is easily spread in confined areas.

Burnaby General has closed two wards, while St. Vincent's has isolated one wing, with only one Norwalk case confirmed.

The hospitals have also placed hand sanitizer beside the hospital door, because, according to Bower, "hand-washing is the absolute strongest and best way to contain it."

Hospital officials at Burnaby General are calling hospital's outbreak an emergency situation, and it will remain one until no patients experience flu-like symptoms for another 72 hours.

The most effective steps to avoid developing the gastrointestinal virus include the following:

• Wash hands with soap and warm water after toilet visits and before preparing or eating food;
• Cook all shellfish thoroughly before eating;
• Wash raw vegetables before eating;
• Dispose of sewage in a sanitary manner;
• Food handlers with symptoms of Norwalk-like illness should not prepare or touch food.

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Janet Dirks