AN influenza outbreak has swept through Mossman Hospital with 17 staff members still away on sick leave today.

Mossman Hospital Director of Nursing and Facility Manager, Peter Le Griffon, told Newsport that investigations were underway into how the flu had spread so quickly.

It’s believed the flu outbreak struck after a member of the Mossman community was admitted into the hospital with flu-like symptoms last week.

Nurses from the Cairns Base Hospital and casual staff are currently on duty to cover those battling the sickness. Le Griffon, who is also off sick, said they were urging the community to only visit the hospital if it was essential in an attempt to contain the spread of the common influenza 'A' strain. 

“This type of flu is very common in the community anyway, but if people don’t need to come to the hospital then we’re just asking they don’t for the time being,” he said.

“We’re also restricting patients coming into the hospital. It’s just one of those things, obviously to have so many staff away at the same time is not ideal but the hospital is still running as normal.”

Mossman Hospital was expecting to be back to ‘business as usual’ as early as Friday.