AT LEAST five patients have died and 15 nursing home residents have been quarantined following a suspected influenza outbreak at an aged care facility.

Of the 61 residents at the Bethel Aged Care Facility at Waratah, near Newcastle, nine residents have been hospitalised and three staff members treated after developing flu-like symptoms.

NSW Health has begun an investigation into the deaths at the facility, with testing to identify the cause of death to be completed by the end of the week.

A spokeswoman from Hunter Health said residents had developed a respiratory illness with cough and fever symptoms similar to the flu, however the exact illness could not be confirmed until testing was complete.

"We can´t rule out influenza - it´s one of a few things we´re looking at like pneumonia and pneumococcal, and it´s not the only thing we´re looking at," she said. "At this stage we´re working at infection control, keeping people with symptoms away from others."

*we are so greatful to Dr Melvin A Brieseman for pointing out the mistake we made about the location of the incident.