Bug forces hospital ward closures

The norovirus bug causes sickness and diarrhoea

Five wards at a Berkshire hospital have been closed to new admissions after an outbreak of norovirus.

A spokesman for the Royal Berkshire Hospital, in Reading, said the diarrhoea and vomiting bug has been affecting the community in Berkshire.

The hospital has stressed that people who show symptoms of the virus should not visit patients in hospital until 48 hours after symptoms have passed.

Basingstoke's North Hampshire hospital is also dealing with the virus.

Nigel Davies, the Royal Berkshire's 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.

Last month, doctors estimated that more than 100,000 people were catching the virus each week causing at least 56 hospital wards to close across England and Wales.