A report shows a fourfold increase in gastroenteritis outbreaks in elderly care and acute care facilities in the South this past winter.
The matter will be considered by the Southern District Health Board's community and public health committee today in Invercargill.
From May 1 to the end of August, 47 outbreaks were notified, compared with 27 in the corresponding period last year.
This year, 33 outbreaks were in elderly or acute care facilities, compared with only eight last year.
Twenty-six of the outbreaks were in elderly care facilities, compared with about six in the same period last year.
Norovirus caused 22 outbreaks, and sapovirus was identified in one outbreak.
The cause could not be identified in 10 outbreaks.
Dunedin Hospital was hit by a series of outbreaks in which Clostridium difficile was identified, as well as norovirus.
There were 952 cases in the 33 outbreaks, with 125 cases in the biggest outbreak.
Communication was one of several areas identified for improvement in Public Health South's investigations of the outbreaks.
''In response to the outbreaks, there has been a series of meetings involving Public Health South, Infection Prevention and Control, and planning and funding, to form an action plan to address the issues identified,'' the report said.
It was expected norovirus would play an increasing role in gastroenteritis outbreaks because of the ageing population.
''It is therefore important that learning opportunities are made use of to improve outbreak management systems.''
