The outbreak began on January 26, when a resident who went to hospital was tested and identified as having influenza A, she told Stuff.

People at the facility then started showing flu-like symptoms of “fever, sore throat, cough, headaches.”

“18 residents and 10 team members manifested with flu-like symptoms,” she says.

There were 48 residents and 29 team members at the Care Centre at the time of the outbreak.

Residents and their families were given advice they would be in isolation and PPE was made available for staff and visitors, she says.

The company offers its deepest sympathies to those who had lost loved ones, she says.

“We look after an older population who are more susceptible to the consequences of viruses. The virus incubates before it presents. Once identified and Infection Control processes were put in place, we were able to stem any further infection.”

Te Whatu Ora/ Health New Zealand says it's notified of the outbreak on January 28.

Te Whatu Ora officially closed the outbreak on February 9, based on no further spread of the illness, she says.

Anita Hawthorne, group general manager sales and services at Oceania, says in a written statement that their “deepest sympathies are with those families who have lost a loved one through the influenza virus.”

She said there had been no more cases since the six deaths.

“We worked closely with Te Whatu Ora ensuring full Infection Control Protocols were followed, and can advise that there are no more influenza virus cases at our Whitianga Care Centre."

Oceania is a healthcare business with 44 sites across Aotearoa providing residential care and aged facilities for more than 4000 people.