Perth: Western Australia records alarming spike in gastro cases

Western Australia has recorded an alarming surge in gastro cases over the summer, with the spread of rotavirus “spiking dramatically” in the latter half of 2021.

544 cases of rotavirus were detected in the Perth metro area, compared to 175 the year before. Group chair of the WA branch of the Australian Medical Association, Simon Torvaldson, says the outbreak could have spread much further than case numbers suggest.

A total of 163 rotavirus cases were recorded in November alone, dwarfing the 18 detected cases for the same month in 2020.

Norovirus was the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, with symptoms including a quick onset of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea that lasts 2-3 days.

Other symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, headaches and muscle aches.

“A lot of people with milder gastro will simply tough it out without seeing a doctor,” he told ABC Radio.

“And to be honest, other than helping you with the symptoms and making sure you stay as hydrated as possible, there is little that doctors can do.”

The new data came after another noted spike in viral gastroenteritis cases in Victorian childcare centres in late 2021.

Cases surged over the eight-month period leading up to October, with the number of outbreaks climbing to more than three times higher than the average for the same period in past years.

Data obtained by NCA NewsWire shows there have been 554 outbreaks in childcare centres from January 1 this year up until August 23.

Up to the same period last year, there had been just 50 outbreaks, factoring in many months of lockdown across the state.

But the Department of Health figures show that before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, there had been 141 outbreaks from January 1, 2019 to August 23, 2019, 154 during the same time period in 2018, then 181 in 2017 and 135 in 2016.

In addition, more than 50 cases of gastro-related illnesses linked to South Australian oysters were recorded in the past two months in WA.

Of the 17 people who fell ill in WA in the past six weeks, all bar one had eaten raw oysters.

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Anyone recovering from gastroenteritis should avoid visiting hospitals, early childhood services and aged care facilities, the Department of Health warned.

Any person living in a household with someone who has gastroenteritis should refrain from visiting these high-risk facilities until at least 48 hours after the person in the household recovered.