People are reminded to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene after the detection of seven institutional outbreaks of noroviral gastroenteritis this month.

Six of the seven cases occurred in elderly homes affecting 30 people. There were five norovirus gastroenteritis outbreaks in November and one in October, the Centre for Health Protection said today.

Although it did not detect any recent sign of an upsurge of acute diarrhoea at institutions, it urged strict hygiene measures be maintained as gastroenteritis caused by norovirus is more active in winter.

There have been 93 noroviral gastroenteritis outbreaks in institutions, including childcare centres and schools, involving 921 people reported so far this year. There were 269 norovirus outbreaks in institutions, affecting 3,250 people last year.