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More than 200 children sick as gastro outbreak hits 50 Queensland childcare centres

A horrific outbreak of gastro has struck more than 50 daycare centres across Queensland, with more than 200 children affected in under two months.

Between June 15 and August 14, a total of 35 childcare centres in Brisbane reported an "outbreak" of gastroenteritis.

On Monday, St Paul’s Lutheran Childcare Centre at Nundah wrote a letter to parents, advising them to keep their children at home if they start to show symptoms, The Courier Mail reported.

“We have had four cases of vomiting at our Centre from two different children in different rooms and two staff in different rooms," it read.

On Monday, St Paul’s Lutheran Childcare Centre at Nundah wrote a letter to parents about the gastro outbreak. Photo: Google Maps
On Monday, St Paul’s Lutheran Childcare Centre at Nundah wrote a letter to parents about the gastro outbreak. Photo: Google Maps

“We are asking that you keep all children presenting with vomiting and/or diarrhoea symptoms away from the Centre as we try to control the spread of infection.”

The letter went on to say the centre had advised Queensland Health, who confirmed they had an outbreak.

In Queensland, and outbreak is defined by more than two cases of the virus in a three-day period at the same location.

Queensland Health has started advising parents to keep theri children at home if they start to show symptoms. Photo: Getty/stock image
Queensland Health has started advising parents to keep theri children at home if they start to show symptoms. Photo: Getty/stock image

Queensland Health has started advising parents to keep their children at home if they start to show symptoms of the virus.

Between June and August in 2016, there were just four outbreaks, with 22 children affected.

But for the same period this year, the outbreak has involved 198 children.