Dunstan hosiptal's Vincent Ward reopened to visitors yesterday morning following an outbreak of suspected gastroenteritis.
The hospital's only ward was opened at 9am after being closed since about Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson said.
Nursing services manager Debbie Lawry said the outbreak seemed to be contained, and hospital staff were ''touching wood'' that no-one else would be affected.
No new cases of the illness had been recorded in the hospital since Thursday, she said.
''If anyone is suffering symptoms of diarrhoea or vomiting it would be good if they stay at home, but otherwise the ward is reopened to visitors and it is business as usual.''
Outbreaks of gastroenteritis were challenging for visitors and particularly for patients, as the illness could add to the woes of those already suffering symptoms of other medical conditions, Ms Lawry said.
Hospital staff did not know the source of the outbreak but had heard anecdotally that gastroenteritis was ''rampant'' throughout the community, she said.
The hospital previously had a confirmed outbreak of norovirus ''a few'' years ago, but the present outbreak was not considered virulent enough to be that stomach bug.
