Following an outbreak of norovirus, some of our medical wards at St Richard’s Hospital have now been closed.
Norovirus is a stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea. It spreads rapidly in environments such as hospitals, schools, and care homes. It can spread through close contact with an infected person, by touching surfaces or objects that have the virus on them or by consuming food that’s been prepared or handled by someone with norovirus.
To prevent further spread, the affected wards have been closed and we unfortunately must restrict visiting in these areas for exceptional circumstances only.
To check if your loved one’s ward is affected, or if you are unsure whether you can visit or not, please get in touch by calling the ward directly and an appropriate staff member will best advise you.
Careful management is essential to prevent further spread, so as we closely monitor this outbreak, we ask local people to take the following actions:
- To only use our A&E department for serious or life-threatening emergencies, such as chest pain, severe bleeding, or breathing difficulties. For anything that isn’t a life-saving emergency, to use an alternative NHS service and to use NHS 111 as the first port of call either online or by phone.
- To stay away from our hospitals, including when visiting, if you have had diarrhoea, vomiting or ‘flu-like’ symptoms in the past 48 hours, unless it is an emergency, or you have been advised to do so by a healthcare professional.
- Infection, prevention and control.
Thank you for your understanding.