Viral outbreak in hospital ward

Northland District Health Board's Whangarei Hospital is urging people with viral gastroenteritis-like symptoms not to visit patients in hospital, or to call ahead for advice if they do need to visit.

Community acquired viral gastroenteritis has been identified within ward 16.

Features of the illness are those of norovirus infection - predominantly vomiting and diarrhoea.

The hospital expects to receive laboratory results to confirm the contamination this week.

About 10 patients and several staff are affected and ward 16 is closed to new medical admissions. Visitor restrictions are in place.

The norovirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis. The most usual ways of catching it is contact with infected people, eating contaminated food (especially shellfish) or drinking untreated water.

Symptoms are predominantly vomiting and diarrhoea which usually last about 48 hours.

The most important way of preventing spread is thorough hand hygiene (washing hands for 20 seconds using soap and running water and drying for 20 seconds).

- © Fairfax NZ News