After noting two deaths in the district of Northland, associated with norovirus gastroenteritis, four rest homes here are taken under public health surveillance. It seems to have an outbreak of a highly infectious virus in Northland.

Till now, 283 cases have been confirmed or suspected to be because of this disease.

According to Northland District Health Board's Medical Officer of health, Jonathan Jarman, norovirus is such an infectious disease that if it spreads in rest homes, then causes great stress and difficulty for getting controlled. He said, "Outbreaks of suspected norovirus gastroenteritis are not uncommon in rest homes and hospitals due to the close living conditions of residents and patients. It's highly infectious and sometimes being in the same room where someone has vomited is enough to catch the illness".

However, after ridding one rest home Jane Mander in Whangarei free of this outbreak, it is confirmed that the infection control measures are working.

According to the reports of Dr. Jarman, there are four more homes in Whangarei which are managing to keep the number of infectious effected persons to a low level. These include Kamo Home and Village, Puriri Court, Parahaki Court and Shalom Aged Care.