Gastro outbreak on the rise in Victorian childcare centres

Victoria’s health department has seen an increase in gastro outbreaks in childcare centres.

Victorian childcare centres have been hit with a gastro outbreak, prompting a warning from state health officials.

There have been 104 outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis in childcare centres this year.

Health officials have put the increase down to young children mixing and congregating closely with other children and adults in care settings, passing the bugs on to others and bringing them home to their families.

Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton said the average number of outbreaks over the past five years had been around 63, and asked families to be wary of the bug.

“Gastroenteritis can spread quickly through settings such as early childhood education and care services, where children play and interact closely with each other and their carers and can readily spread their bugs,” Professor Sutton said.

“It is important that early childhood services have good hygiene practices in place and to respond quickly with thorough and appropriate cleaning and disinfection if any children become ill.”

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton sent out the warning this week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

With the pandemic, disinfecting hands with alcohol-based hand rubs has become routine, but the measure is less effective for gastro bugs, according to Professor Sutton.

“Handwashing with soap and water is still the best personal hygiene method to minimise the chance of spreading the virus,” he said.

“A good old-fashioned scrub with soap and warm water is the best way to remove the gastro virus from our hands and prevent passing it on to infect others.”

Childcare centres have been urged to prioritise hygiene. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Another upsurge of viral gastro late last year saw 56 outbreaks in the six weeks to mid-December.

At the start of 2021, after lockdown was eased, 389 outbreaks were detected in childcare settings up to the end of April – four times higher than the average for that time of year.

The virus is extremely infectious with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain, headache and muscle aches.

They can take up to three days to develop and usually last between one or two days, sometimes longer.

In rare cases it can develop into much more serious illness.

Infants or children in early childhood services or schools, as well as staff who develop vomiting or diarrhoea should stay at home for at least 48 hours after their symptoms have stopped.

If symptoms are severe or they persist, people should see a GP for advice and testing.