New Zealand / Regional

Blenheim hospital ward re-opens after gastric outbreak

15:10 pm on 17 March 2009

A ward at Blenheim's Wairau Hospital has re-opened after closing over the weekend due to an outbreak of gastric illness.

Six staff members and one patient suffered diarrhoea and vomiting from Thursday last week, and the ward was closed to new patients.

The Nelson-Marlborough District Health Board says the illness may have been norovirus, but will not know for certain until the Institute of Environmental Science and Research completes testing.

The ward re-opened on Monday.