Multiple students developed symptoms of gastro after attending Camp Marysville

Dozens of students from Yarra Valley Grammar in Ringwood have developed symptoms after a camp, prompting a health department investigation.

The health department was contacted after multiple students got sick. Picture: AAP

Victorian health authorities are trying to track down the cause of a suspected gastro outbreak at a school camp which affected dozens of students from Yarra Valley Grammar.

Several students from the Ringwood school developed symptoms of gastro after attending Camp Marysville in late February, which is run by the Outdoor Education Group.

The mysterious Yarra Valley Grammar virus is suspected to have been brought to a camp by a couple of the year seven students, then spread quickly, a preliminary report has found.

Dr Mark Merry, principal of Yarra Valley Grammar, said the children had now all recovered from the outbreak, which is thought to be a virus spread among students rather than a bacterial infection from a contaminated substance or food.

An investigation by the Department of Health, Murrindindi Shire, where the camp is located, and the City of Maroondah, where the school is located, is ongoing.

“They are trying to work out what might have happened,” Dr Merry said.

“It’s reasonable to conclude that a few students bought it with them and it spread rapidly. It’s one of those things where you are contagious before you get sick. They came to camp with it and passed it on,” he told the Herald Sun on Wednesday night.

“The tragedy is that it was the year seven camp and until then they were having fun.

“There were 260 kids at the year seven camp having a great time, having a ball.

“Then they were coming back on the bus and a number started getting ill, throwing up and then it blew out to about 60 odd children. It just took off”.

Mr Merry said the students were now all recovered but “were pretty crook at the time”.

“Some did have to go to hospital. It was short, sharp and very nasty.

“It’s one of those things – they were fairly unlucky,” he said.

A Health Department spokesperson said the department was continuing to work with the council and camp to investigate the source of this outbreak.

“All gastroenteritis outbreaks reported to the department are investigated and managed in conjunction with local councils,” the spokesperson said.

“We’re continuing to work with the council and camp to investigate the source of this outbreak.

“Person-to-person viral gastroenteritis outbreaks are not uncommon in settings such as schools, school camps, and childcare centres where children and young people gather.”

The Victorian Health Department has instructed the Murrindindi Shire Council, which is leading the investigation into the outbreak, to check water sources and food preparation and management at the camp, following concerns raised by parents.

The chief executive of the Outdoor Education Group, Craig Richards, told Nine Newspapers that at 4pm on February 24 the company was informed of a small group of students who developed travel sickness after leaving Camp Marysville.

He said the company was told the number of ill students had increased, prompting them to contact the health department.

There were 103 outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis in childcare centres in the year to 21 February 2023.

The five-year average from the same period was 69.

Yarra Valley Grammar and Outdoor Education Group have been contacted for comment.