The illness has affected 14 patients, prompting calls for greater hygiene in the community.

The hospital's B7 geriatric ward was quarantined on Monday and remained closed to new admissions yesterday.

Of the 14 patients to contract norovirus, which causes gastroenteritis, eight are still displaying symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, fever, abdominal pain, headache and muscle aches.

"All affected patients have been either isolated or nursed together and all the required infection control protocols are in place," a spokesperson for South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health said.

The outbreak was one of eight reported to the SESIH public health unit in September alone.

"Norovirus outbreaks occur commonly in the wider community," the spokesperson said.

"Diarrhoea and vomiting are the most common symptoms and most cases only last for a few days.

"Norovirus is highly infectious and can be prevented by good hygiene practices, particularly hand washing, isolation of ill patients and disinfection."

Gastroenteritis is common in winter and early spring. In June, 50 people went to Wollongong Hospital's emergency department with gastro-like symptoms and GPs reported a particularly virulent strain of the bug was at hand.

The illness was also linked to the deaths of 10 residents at a Blue Mountains nursing home that month.

Norovirus gastroenteritis is transmitted by faecally contaminated food or water, person-to-person contact or touching a contaminated surface and then your mouth.

Those who become ill should avoid work and people working with food, children, the sick or elderly.