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Recent Outbreaks of Gastroenteritis - Home Care Service Providers

Bulk Information Distribution - 1 February 2013

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Dear Home Care Service Providers

An article in the Herald Sun newspaper on 17 January 2013 reported a larger than usual number of cases of severe gastroenteritis (gastro) reported to Australian public health authorities recently. This is thought to be due to the spread of a new strain of norovirus which has caused a winter gastro epidemic in Europe and the United Kingdom with the closure of hospital wards and more than 1 million people reportedly affected in the UK.

Outbreaks of this new strain of viral gastro are extremely difficult to control, due to the highly infectious nature of the virus. Frail older people and those with chronic health conditions are amongst those most at risk. The media article is a timely reminder that outbreaks of gastro can occur throughout the year and that your infection control plans and procedures need to be in place all year round.

Good hand hygiene is the single most effective intervention to reduce the risk of catching or transmitting gastroenteritis. Good hand washing involves washing hands with liquid soap and water using a good technique. Hand washing can be supplemented with the use of alcohol based gel or hand rub. However, it should be noted that the use of alcohol hand wash or rub requires a good technique to be effective.

Hand hygiene must be performed in the following situations:

• Before client contact.
• After client contact.
• After contact with any items used by the client, in the client surroundings or items that may be a source of transmission.
• If gloves are used hands must be washed before applying and after removing them as the removal process can cause contamination.

For information about how to manage clients with gastro please contact the public health officer in your local area. A contact list of public health units is attached to this letter.

I ask that you bring this information to the attention of your staff and promote good hand hygiene practices at all times.


Susan Hunt, RN, PhD, FRCNA
Senior Nurse Advisor
Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance
January 2013


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