Diarrhoea crisis sends nearly 5,000 patients running to Auss

SYDNEY, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Close to 5,000 people have been admitted to various hospitals throughout Australia's largest state in the past three weeks as an outbreak of gastroenteritis worsens by the minute.

The New South Wales (NSW) state Department of Health has issued statements pleading for people to wash their hands frequently in order to minimize the spread of the viral outbreak that causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines, resulting in vomiting and diarrhoea.

"These outbreaks are mostly caused by infection with a virus - most often norovirus or rotavirus - and spread easily from person to person, particularly if hands are not carefully washed after using the toilet or attending to nappy changes," NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant told local media on Wednesday, adding that the virus can be dormant for up to three days.

It was reported nearly 5,000 people have been seen at emergency hospitals, 1,200 of those admitted for care, exceeding worse case scenario predictions by at least 500 patients.