At least 15 people have become ill after contracting a virus from the children’s play area of a Tauranga ten pin bowling venue.

Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service medical officer of health Dr Jim Miller said, in a written statement, the service had been notified of cases of norovirus gastroenteritis in at least nine preschool and primary aged children and six adults earlier this month.

He confirmed those affected had picked up the bug from the children’s play area of a Tauranga ten pin bowling venue.

Mr Miller said the virus would most likely have been spread through person-to-person contact after exposure to an ill person.

Toi Te Ora investigated the outbreak and had since given the bowling alley advice on dealing with diarrhoea and vomiting episodes on the premises and effective cleaning, he said.

A request for further information, including the name of the bowling alley, and if any victims had been hospitalised was not answered by the time the Bay of Plenty Times went to print.