Vomiting bug outbreak at Royal Berks

Royal Berkshire Hopsital has closed five wards to new admissions after a breakout of the diarrhoea and vomiting bug.

While the symptoms of the Norovirus normally clear up in a day or two with no lasting effects, it is important to ensure that hospital patients do not catch the virus.

As a precaution, the Trust is restricting admissions to five of its wards where incidents of diarrhoea and vomiting have occurred.

to protect vulnerable patients, the Trust is also urging people who have had symptoms not not to visit anyone in hospital until 48 hours after they have ceased.

Nigel Davies, Chief Nurse, said, "We always ask people not to visit if they are unwell, but it is often forgotten. 

"We understand that this will be difficult and frustrating to people wanting to visit their friends and family, but it is essential to the health of our patients that visitors stick strictly to this requirement.

" It is important that people with out-patient appointments - who are not suffering from symptoms similar to the virus - do attend their clinic as normal."

Visitors can also reduce the spread of infection by washing their hands on entering and leaving a ward and not sitting on beds.

Anyone with symptoms should avoid contact with other people as far as possible and can seek advice from NHS Direct  on 0845 4647.