Viral gastro outbreak hits Hunter child-care centres

Dr David Durrheim, a Hunter New England Health physician, told the Newcastle Herald recently "viral gastro is unfortunately on the way up".

"At the moment there are 24 child-care centres with outbreaks. There have been seven new ones already this week," Dr Durrheim said last week.

"It really has taken off this month. It's incredibly infectious."

Schools across the Newcastle area were warning parents to be on the lookout for symptoms, and keep their children home until they are fully recovered.

Dr Durrheim said gastro waves "normally only last between four and eight weeks".

"We could be halfway into the wave, so there's still an opportunity to try to curtail the impact.

"Hand washing - warm water and soap - is very important. It's more effective than alcohol hand gels."

Dr Durrheim said most gastro cases were "likely norovirus".

"You can actually breathe it in. If someone has vomited in an enclosed area, it remains in the air for a time and you can get infected that way.

"More commonly it's through touching contaminated surfaces or kids. It's often people changing nappies or where a child has had a spill.

"Unfortunately there's no vaccine against norovirus."

He said people often think that "once the child's vomiting and diarrhoea has settled, they can go back to child care but they remain infectious up to 48 hours later".

"So the last thing you want is that child going back to child care, school or swimming lessons. That sets up transmission to other children.

"Pools can be quite effective at spreading viruses."

He urged those affected to "drink plenty of clear fluids".

The gastroenteritis outbreak was "a little bit later" than usual, but "not completely unexpected".

"We normally see a predominance of viral gastro at the end of winter and early spring. The timing has changed a little bit since the pandemic."

He said the last gastro activity occurred in late April.

"So this is really the second wave this year," he said.

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