A wave of gastroenteritis outbreaks in daycare centres and aged-care homes has sent more than 3300 young children and adults to NSW emergency departments in the last two weeks.
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Gastroenteritis cases have ballooned over the past fornight, outstripping influenza cases in peak flu season, NSW Health figures show.
Some 49 separate outbreaks have been reported in childcare centres and aged-care facilities in the past three weeks, with some linked to the aggressive norovirus strain. The latest reports brought the total number of outbreaks form the start of June to 98.
Young children and the elderly were most vulnerable, but an abnormal number of young adults presented with gastro last week, suggesting the latest outbreaks were particularly severe.
Health authorities suspect a new strain of the virus is the cause of the outbreak, with lower immunity leading to higher susceptibility among the community.
Of the 3353 people who attended emergency departments with gastro, 798 were hospitalised over that period, with western Sydney the hardest hit.
On July 7, NSW Health reported 1600 people had attended NSW emergency departments with gastro in the past week. More than 400 of these patients were admitted to hospital, prompting a public warning from health authorities.
The number of cases peaked in the middle of July at 26 per cent above the usual number of cases expected this time of year.
But the outbreak is decreasing, with fewer cases expected in the coming weeks, NSW director of communicable diseases Dr Vicky Sheppeard said.
Viral gastroenteritis is highly infectious and often spreads via direct contact with an infected person.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain, headache and muscle aches, which can take between one and three days to develop and usually last between one and two days, sometimes longer.
Healthy adults usually recover in a couple of days, but children and the elderly could become seriously ill.
Dr Sheppeard said the public had a vital role to play to stem the outbreak.
"We really need people who are sick not to visit aged-care facilities, or prepare food for others," Dr Sheppeard said.
Parents should keep sick children at home, she added.
Preschoolers and infants should be kept away from family members with gastro, and children with the infection should not go to daycare or school, the Sydney Children's Hospital Network advises.
NSW Health has urged the public to wash their hands and stay at home if they had caught gastroenteritis.
"These outbreaks are mostly caused by infection with a virus – most often norovirus or rotavirus – and spread easily from person to person, particularly if hands are not carefully washed after using the toilet or attending to nappy changes," said NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant earlier this month.
"The best way to reduce your chances of getting viral gastroenteritis is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 10 seconds - particularly after using the toilet, assisting someone with diarrhoea or vomiting, attending nappy changes and before preparing and eating food," he said.
"It is vital that if you or your family contract gastroenteritis that you stay home from work or keep a child home from school or childcare if they are sick for at least 24 hours after the last symptom of gastroenteritis.
People who are sick with gastroenteritis should not visit hospitals or aged-care facilities to avoid spreading the virus in vulnerable settings, Dr Chant said.
Dehydration often follows bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly in young children, so people with the virus should rest well and increase the amount of fluids they drink.
"If people are concerned they should see their local GP," Dr Chant said.
