Gastro outbreak puts Whanganui rest home in lock down

Masonic Court rest home reopens after gastro outbreak. Photo/ Stuart Munro

A Whanganui East rest home has been in lockdown for three days after a virulent gastro bug hit the premises.

Masonic Court rest home closed on Tuesday for 72 hours while two elderly residents were kept in isolation and eight others, affected by the virus, were kept quarantined at the home.

The rest home re-opened on Thursday, with manager Victoria Morris saying there had been no other cases within the past 24 hours and all residents had recovered.

"We were closed while we were managing a gastro bug because we didn't want it going out into the community," Ms Morris said.

Whanganui Public Health protection manager Margaret Tunbridge said they were still waiting for the results from a sample they had sent away but it appeared to be a 24-hour virus.

"It seems to be just spread person-to-person so we are thinking a family member has brought it inside and in that environment, where you have a lot of elderly confined in a small space, it spreads quite easily," Ms Tunbridge said.

Ms Morris said the virus had been quickly addressed and the issue had been resolved.

"We followed correct infection control procedures and we were able to isolate and remove the issue very quickly."

Ms Tunbridge said they were notified about the virus on Friday but it did not push for closure.

"We didn't think it was ramping out of control but they just felt that closing was an easier way for them to control so it wasn't going back out to the community.

"The rest home did a really good job at responding - they did everything as per the protocols and procedures.

"It is not a reflection on them doing anything they shouldn't be doing, it's just that you have a lot of elderly people who are very vulnerable - you only need one person vomiting for it to very quickly spread."