HealthInfo Piki Te Ora Southern
Rotavirus
Huaketo puku
Rotavirus is a virus that causes gastroenteritis. It is very infectious, meaning it spreads very easily.
Rotavirus is spread if people do not wash their hands properly after going to the toilet or changing nappies. You can catch it by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus can also be passed on if an infected person prepares food.
You usually get symptoms 1 to 2 days after being infected with the virus. The symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting. Some people have a fever and stomach pain. Symptoms can last for 3 to 8 days.
Preventing rotavirus
Vaccination is the best way to prevent rotavirus. Tamariki (children) receive the rotavirus vaccine at 6 weeks and 3 months as part of the National Immunisation Schedule.
It is also important to practise good hand hygiene.
Treating rotavirus
There is no medicine for rotavirus. The treatment aims to relieve symptoms. Rest and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. See the self-care section on our gastroenteritis page for more details.
Getting help for rotavirus
You should see your general practice team if you have bloody diarrhoea or a fever or if your symptoms have not gone away after 7 days. You should also see your general practice team if you are very unwell or have a weakened immune system.
You should take your tamaiti (child) to your general practice team if they:
- are not drinking
- are passing less urine than usual
- have a dry mouth or sunken eyes
- seem drowsy.
Avoiding spreading rotavirus
To reduce the risk of spreading the virus, it is important to have good hand hygiene. This includes washing your hands with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet or changing nappies.
Use separate towels and flannels. Wash any infected clothing or bedding separately in hot water. Clean contaminated surfaces and toys with disinfectant. Try to avoid preparing food if you have rotavirus. If you do prepare food, make sure you wash and dry your hands well first. Follow this food safety advice.
Stay away from work, community gatherings and school or preschool until you or your tamaiti have been free of symptoms for 48 hours. This includes the last time you had diarrhoea.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Health Information and Services– Rotavirus
Information about rotavirus and how to stop it spreading.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed May 2025.
Sources
Review key: HIGTE-81185
