Visiting ban at bug-hit hospital

Some operations have been cancelled

Visitors are being asked to stay away from a Worcestershire hospital after an outbreak of Norovirus.

Worcestershire Royal Hospital said it placed the visiting ban on all wards to stop the "highly contagious" infection spreading and to protect patients.

About six patients were found to have the bug, which caused symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea.

Some non-emergency operations have been cancelled. The outpatients department remains open.

A spokeswoman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said of the visiting ban: "We acknowledge that this may cause some difficulty but appreciate the support of families and visitors in helping us to contain the outbreak."

She said people were advised to only attend outpatients appointments if they had been free of its symptoms for more than 48 hours.

Worcestershire Royal Hospital was one of three hospitals in the county hit by an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting in September.