The Sunshine Coast is an idyllic spot on the Pacific Ocean, about an hour north of Brisbane.

But according to Shri Rajen of the Daily Mail a huge, and unidentified gastro outbreak has left more than 1,000 people in hospital. 

Emergency departments in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, were flooded with 1142 patients with gastroenteritis.

Around 600 cases were treated at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

Gastroenteritis can be either infectious or non-infectious, public health physician said, Dr Andrew Langley, reported The Sunshine Coast Daily.

He said, usually bacteria, parasites and viruses are the cause of infectious cases.

‘Noroviruses are a very common cases of viral gastroenteritis. Causes of norovirus are not routinely reported to Queensland Health,’ Dr Langley said.

‘If you have gastroenteritis, you should not return to work until diarrhoea has ceased. Children should not return to childcare or school until diarrhoea has ceased for 24 hours,’ said Dr Langley.

Last month, a gastro outbreak has forced Mt Maria College in Brisbane to close after 20 students and two teachers were sent to hospital with vomiting and diarrhoea.

Last year nearly 2000 people admitted themselves to hospitals across Sydney.

Gastroenteritis can be easily passed from person to person due to its highly infectious nature.