KEY POINTS:
Tauranga Hospital has closed a ward to new admissions and child visitors after patients and staff were struck down by vomiting and diarrhoea.
Ward 5, which has been closed since Friday, was still off-limits to the young and to new patients yesterday, the Bay of Plenty District Health Board said.
Ten people have contracted the illness - four staff and six patients.
Infection control co-ordinator Adrienne Stewart said the suspected cause was the highly contagious norovirus.
She asked people with signs of tummy bugs not to visit patients in the hospital.
"People in hospital tend to have lowered resistance and the impact of even small infections can seriously impede their recovery.
"While the illness lasts about two days, the incubation period is one to four days and the infected person remains infectious for around two days after the illness has passed," Ms Stewart said.
The ward is closed to child visitors and all transfers from it have been halted until it is infection-free.
"Isolation procedures and precautions are in place for patients showing symptoms of the infection and staff on the ward will not be assigned to other wards during their shifts, to prevent transmission of the infection," said Ms Stewart.
Visitors to ward 5 are being asked to check in with staff before they come into contact with patients.
"We are working to contain the outbreak and we are asking for the community's help with keeping these bugs out of our hospital," said Ms Stewart.
A key factor in preventing the spread of gastroenteritis is strict hand-washing after using the toilet, and before preparing or serving food.
Anyone suffering from such a virus should not return to work or school until they are without symptoms for 48 hours.
- NZPA
