A GASTROENTERITIS outbreak has swept across seven south metropolitan aged care and nursing homes.

Twenty-eight people at Spearwood’s Villa Dalmacia—nearly half its 75 residents—came down with vomiting and diarrhoea last Thursday.

Visitors are still allowed into the residential area but CEO Teresa Hickman says the day care centre had to close.

At the time of going to print, three residents were sick and day care was still shut: “None of our residents had to be hospitalised and no-one was sick for more than 24 hours,” Ms Hickman says.

“Visitors are still allowed but they have to follow certain rules, washing their hands etc, and can only visit their own relatives.

“We are following all the guidelines from the health department and believe we are over the worse of it.”

People should avoid visiting a nursing home if they are not well.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK