Vomiting bug closes hospital ward

Visitors are being asked not to bring flowers or plants to the hospital

A ward at Southampton General Hospital has been closed to new admissions after an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.

Five patients and one staff member have been affected by the bug, which causes sickness and diarrhoea.

It is highly contagious and old or sick people are particularly vulnerable to the infection.

The NHS trust responsible for the hospital appealed for visitors to stay away if they were feeling unwell and to avoid bringing in flowers and plants.

It also urged visitors to wash their hands before and after visiting a clinical ward area, not to sit on beds and to adhere to visiting times.

Tracey Cooper, consultant nurse from the trust's infection prevention team, said: "It is extremely unpleasant for any patient to be suffering from diarrhoea and we want to keep the number of cases to an absolute minimum.

"We have learned that taking aggressive action when we start to pick up cases can prevent further spread of the condition.

"We are seeking the help of the public today because there is a lot that our visitors can do to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes this problem."