More than 2,800 Australian aged care facilities will soon receive kits aimed at stopping the spread of gastroenteritis.

Under the $65,000 federal government plan, each nursing home will receive the kit, in a bid to reduce outbreaks among the aged care industry's 170,000 residents.

Last year, 114 people died from the condition in Australia.

The kits cover steps including how to develop an outbreak management plan before one occurs, how to identify signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis, and how to put in place infection control measures including the nomination of an outbreak coordinator to oversee any incident.

"These are very practical and commonsense kits," Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot said in a statement.

"The frail and aged are the most vulnerable during a gastroenteritis outbreak and that is why we have to have materials to support nursing home and hostel staff."

According to federal government figures about 17 million cases of gastroenteritis affect the community each year and while most are mild, 20 per cent of affected people visit their GPs.

A spokeswoman for Ms Elliot said the kits would be in nursing homes before the end of the month.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald