Warm temperatures may be keeping rotavirus at bay

Children with side effects from the infectious rotavirus have been seeking hospital treatment in Auckland.

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea among children, resulting in the deaths of more than 600,000 children annually worldwide.

So far this year there have been 150 cases reported nationwide.

Victoria University Malaghan Institute research officer Natalie Redshaw is studying the virus in New Zealand, and she believes warmer temperatures have probably contributed to lower numbers of the virus being reported in New Zealand's main centres this year.

The disease is characterised by vomiting and watery diarrhoea for between three and eight days, along with fever and abdominal pain.

Auckland Public Health spokesman Dr Will Patterson said though cases of the virus were not widespread in New Zealand, the disease was still highly infectious.

Parents could prevent children catching the virus by maintaining strict hygiene routines, he said.

"This can be quite difficult as the rotavirus is hard to prevent, as it is highly infectious, but constant handwashing will help," he said.

Dr Patterson said 50 per cent of children showed few symptoms of the illness, but the other 50 per cent could suffer moderate to severe diarrhoea, sometimes requiring hospital treatment.

"It is generally small children that get hit the hardest."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY