Suspected norovirus outbreak at Timaru Hospital

Visitors are being told to stay away from Timaru Hospital after a suspected norovirus outbreak. File photo / NZ Herald

Timaru Hospital has been closed to visitors while infection control experts work to contain a suspected norovirus outbreak.

About 15 patients across three wards and six hospital staff have fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhoea since Saturday.

The sickness is suspected to be the highly contagious norovirus - though tests confirming that have not yet been completed.

Infection control experts have closed the hospital to all non-essential visits until the illness has been contained.

Affected patients have been placed in isolation, and anyone entering or leaving the hospital is being asked to use alcohol hand sanitiser.

Staff have been asked to clean and sterilise their hands more regularly.

South Canterbury DHB chief executive Chris Fleming said the outbreak could have been carried into the hospital by a sick visitor.

"Norovirus is always circulating in the community and there is always a risk that someone carrying the virus will visit a relative in a hospital or rest home and trigger an outbreak. That is why it's vitally important that visitors stay away if they have had symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea."

Norovirus is estimated to be responsible for 90 per cent of non-bacterial gastroenteritis cases.

It can be spread directly from person to person or indirectly by airborne transmission, contact with contaminated surfaces, or contaminated food or water.

- Herald Online staff