A rest home in Gisborne is in lockdown after an outbreak of norovirus which is highly contagious.
More than 20 residents and several staff at Leighton House have caught the virus, which causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea.
The premises is expected to be off limits to visitors for the next few days.
Those affected by the virus are improving slowly.
It's believed the illness was introduced into the rest home by a resident who attended a Christmas party outside the premises last week.