Timaru Hospital is closed to all visitors as a suspected outbreak of a highly contagious vomiting and diarrhoea virus grips the wards.
About 15 patients and six staff from the surgical, medical and assessment, treatment and rehabilitation wards have experienced symptoms of vomiting and/or diarrhoea since Saturday.
The hospital is waiting for the results of tests to determine whether or not norovirus was the cause of illness, but was treating it as a norovirus outbreak as a precaution in the meantime, South Canterbury DHB chief executive Chris Fleming said.
The hospital had since been closed to all visitors unless the visit was essential, such as the partner of a woman giving birth or the parent of a sick child.
All affected patients had been placed in isolation.
Earlier this month two elderly people died after a norovirus outbreak in Northland rest homes.
Almost 300 people in Northland rest homes were confirmed or suspected to have contracted norovirus gastroenteritis since the first case was reported in mid-April.
Norovirus is highly contagious and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pains and feeling nauseous.
