A Victorian primary school has been struck by an aggressive outbreak of gastro. Picture: Michelle Mossop Photo: Michele Mossop
A Victorian primary school has been forced to shut down for Easter early after a third of its students and nearly half of its staff have been diagnosed with gastro.
Red Hill Consolidated School, located on the Mornington Peninsula, sent its 600 students and the majority of its staff home after an aggressive form of the virus swept through the school earlier this week.
Principal Leanne Marshall says it is an "extremely unfortunate" situation to happen just before the long Easter weekend.
Red Hill Consolidated School has suffered the outbreak.
"It escalated this week, probably mostly today," she told Fairfax Media on Wednesday.
About 40 per cent of staff and about 180 students have come down with the virus.
Ms Marshall said closing the school a day early was a responsible decision, and sought to assure the community the school was working with the Department of Human Services to find out the cause of the outbreak.
A Frankston Hospital spokeswoman said four patients with gastro had been admitted into the paediatric ward in the last three days.
A Department of Education spokesman confirmed the school would remain closed on Thursday, and advised concerned parents to seek medical advice.
