Visitor restrictions in place as hospitals battle winter vomiting bug

Better known as the winter vomiting bug, the virus is currently affecting three wards at the hospital and the hospital has urged visitors to stay away unless their trip is vital to lessen the spread of the bug.
“We've asked people only to come in if they thought their visit to see a patient is really important and if they have suffered from the virus, not to come in until at least 48 hours after the symptoms have passed,” said Joe Wise, a spokesman for the hospital.
Most people, he said were being helpful and heeding their appeal, but the virus was still present in the community and the hospital was aware that in a number of cases, people have visited patients while they were still infectious.
A spokesman for the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, Richard Maynard, said one ward was closed on January 27 due to the Norovirus and the hospital had continued to have cases up to Thursday.
“The issue is now resolved and there are no new cases,” he said on Monday morning.
Last month (January) , at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, five bays were closed due to norovirus on the Jupiter ward – for adult/elderly male and female patients, with a variety of conditions.
Also last month (January) at the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, one bay was affected by norovirus, on ward E2, a general medical ward.
Hospital visitors are asked to wash their hands thoroughly and also make use of alcohol hand gel outside wards.
Anyone who has experienced vomiting or diarrhoea within the last 48 hours or who has been in contact with anyone suffering from the symptoms should not visit hospital.