On Monday afternoon 5pm, the Holbrook Hospital public car-park was deserted except for the odd plover hitting the hospital’s glass entrance doors with its beak.

“A total of 17 cases of gastroenteritis have been reported amongst predominantly elderly patients and staff at Holbrook,” Greater Southern Area Health Director of population Health Tony Kolbe said on Monday.

“Not all had been admitted to the hospital some patients were residents at Holbrook’s aged care hostel,” he said.

Mr Kolbe pointed out access had been restricted because the health service didn’t want to introduce further infection into the hospital or have the infection impact on people coming in to the hospital.

“This may change in a day or two as the situation settles down,” he said.

People requiring other types of care have been advised to go to health facilities at Culcairn, Henty or Albury.

Meanwhile, at Culcairn, the emergency department was closed for most of Sunday afternoon after a Holbrook person presented at the hospital with gastroenteritis symptoms.

“Staff members conducted strict environmental cleaning to decontaminate the emergency department,” Mr Kolbe said.

Elsewhere, two nursing homes in Albury have been affected with 14 gastroenteritis cases at one and eight at another.

“Viral gastroenteritis is highly infectious and is most often spread through direct contact with an infected person,” Mr Kolbe said.

Symptoms of viral gastroenteritis include vomiting and diarrhoea. Other symptoms may be nausea, fever, abdominal pain, headache, and muscle aches.

People who are unwell with gastroenteritis have been advised not to visit people in hospital or aged care facilities to avoid the risk of introducing the infection into the facility.

“The most effective way to avoid viral gastroenteritis is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 10 seconds before handling and eating food, and always wash your hands after using the toilet,” Mr Kolbe advised.