Norovirus triggers ward closures at Warwick Hospital

An outbreak of norovirus has triggered the closure of two wards at Warwick Hospital.

Restrictions have been placed on visiting the Farries and Nicholas Wards after 16 patients experienced sickness and/or diarrhoea.

There is no specific cure for the highly contagious norovirus and it can be more serious for the frail or to elderly people.

In addition to placing restrictions on visiting, the South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) is asking members of the public to practice good hand hygiene to limit the spread of infection.

Charles Ashton, SWFT Medical Director said: “While we understand that friends and family naturally want to visit their loved ones while in hospital norovirus causes the NHS huge problems. We often see it when people who display symptoms ignore advice and enter clinics or hospitals while highly contagious.

“These outbreaks are preventable so we cannot stress enough the importance of people not coming into clinical settings if they currently have sickness and/or diarrhoea or have had it in the last 48 hours.”

The illness does not usually last more than two or three days and a trip to see a GP is not usually necessary.