Health News

Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis (gastro) is a short-term illness triggered by the infection and inflammation of the digestive system. 

Symptoms can include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting and usually last 24 to 72 hours. Persons with gastro are usually contagious when showing symptoms, and most particularly so when symptoms are severe. 

Gastro can be highly infectious so it can spread very easily. It spreads when a person comes in contact with the vomit or faeces (poo) of an infected person, including: person-to-person contact, for example shaking hands with someone who has been sick and has the virus on their hands. Good old-fashioned handwashing with soap and water is the best defence against spreading the bug. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers while effective against some viruses (such as coronavirus), are not effective against gastro.

The treatment of gastro includes drinking fluids to avoid dehydration.

Children and adults should not return to school or work until 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea and/or vomiting. This is crucial in limiting the spread of gastro in high risk environments.