Gastro cases triple in SA amid a decline in vaccination rates among babies

SA is in the grip of an alarming spike in gastro cases, with a top doctor warning the very young and old are most at risk.

The number of gastro cases in South Australia has nearly tripled compared to two months ago – with a senior doctor saying decreasing vaccination rates among infants were concerning.

SA Health data has revealed there were 28 notifications of rotavirus, a form of gastro, in the week ending September 18.

There were 79 cases in the week to November 4.

So far this year there have been 1029 cases of the virus compared to 493 last year.

Adelaide 36ers star Jacob Wiley became one of those statistics when he was struck down with gastro while the team was on the road in Perth last weekend.

Jacob Wiley of the 36ers was struck down with gastro while the team was in Perth. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Wiley managed to play half a game against the Perth Wildcats on Saturday night and boarded the flight home with his teammates on Sunday but Qantas had other ideas.

After Wiley boarded the plane it was decided he was too unwell to travel and he disembarked delaying takeoff for the other passengers, including his teammates, by 40 minutes.

A 36ers spokesman said Wiley had made a full recovery and fortunately other players weren’t affected as badly.

“They had mild symptoms … they could play through and just drank a bit more water,” the spokesman said.

“(Coach CJ Bruton) had mild symptoms and we thought it would be best if he stayed away just because of the infectious nature of it.”

Wiley will be available to play this Saturday.

AMA SA president Dr John Williams. Picture: AMA

Dr Williams said the young and old were most at risk of complications from gastro. Picture: iStock

Australian Medical Association SA president John Williams said “the very young and the very old” were most at risk of complications from gastro.

“It is a gastro-type illness, meaning nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea and sometimes fever are the main symptoms,” Dr Williams said.

“Most children recover from it fine, it can be pretty uncomfortable for a few days but they generally recover quite well.

“We worry about young children and the elderly because of the risk of dehydration and that’s when it can be dangerous.

“It is not uncommon to go to hospital to be given additional fluids.”

Dr Williams said vaccinations for rotavirus among infants countrywide had dropped.

“It is something that goes up and down, it’s not really seasonal, you can get rotavirus at any time of the year but it is worse in childcare centres, obviously where you have lots of people together and in aged care facilities,” he said.

SA Health advised people to continue practising good hand hygiene, wipe down surfaces and objects – particularly those that are shared – and stay at home if sick.

The infectious period for gastro is during illness and at least 24 hours after symptoms have disappeared.