Moncton's Georges Dumont Hospital placed an orthopedic unit under quarantine Tuesday because of an outbreak of a gastrointestinal virus.

The hospital has stopped all visits, admissions and transfers to the wing to contain the outbreak. Patients in the ward are restricted to their units unless they need to be moved for an emergency.

Microbiologist Dr. Richard Garceau said doctors won't know what the virus is until they get tests back at the end of the week.

"It may very well be the same organism that caused the outbreak of gastroenteritis at Mount Allison University in Sackville. So it may very well be norovirus or Norwalk, but we don't have the results yet."

Garceau said urgent surgeries will continue, but elective surgeries will be considered case-by-case. Visitors to the hospital are asked to wash their hands and use antiseptic gel.