Rugby hospital stops routine visiting

All routine visiting and admissions to a hospital have been stopped due to the norovirus bug affecting three wards.

The decision over the Hospital of St Cross in Rugby was not taken lightly, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust said.

Relatives and friends have been asked not to visit the Rugby hospital unless for compassionate reasons.

Any GP referrals and 999 cases were being taken to Coventry's University Hospital instead.

The decision over visiting and admissions in Rugby was taken in the interests of patient care and in order to minimise the impact of the bug, the trust said.

Wards at the Rugby hospital will take phone calls regarding patients between 1400 and 1500 GMT each day from next-of-kin.

Apart from ward 41, all wards at Coventry's University Hospital are open and visiting remains normal.

This situation is being reviewed daily, the trust added.