Hospital delays ops in bug scare

Norovirus causes sudden vomiting and diarrhoea

Routine operations have been postponed after a major outbreak of "winter vomiting" norovirus at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

There are currently four wards closed along with a bay on each of another three wards.

The hospital has been dealing with as many as 340 medical admissions a week, up from the more usual 280 per week.

There are currently 17 patients at the hospital with the symptoms of the highly contagious stomach bug.

Director of operations Elaine Hobson said: "We have taken steps to restrict visitors coming in but we may now need to postpone patients due to come in for non-urgent surgery until the overall picture has improved."