2/3/2010

Five medical wards in Morriston Hospital have been closed to new patient admissions following a return of the Norovirus bug. At the end of January, eight wards had to be closed at the hospital because of a Norovirus outbreak.

The virus is rife in the local community at the moment, which increases the incidence of visitors and other hospital users inadvertently bringing Norovirus into the hospital.

Five of the six medical wards at Morriston are currently affected: Wards F,R,S,V and the Medical Assessment Unit. No new patients are being accepted onto the wards until the virus is cleared. ABM’s Infection Control team is working with ward and housekeeping staff to control the spread of the bug.

The public is being urged to co-operate with hospital staff to help stop the virus, commonly known as the Winter Vomiting Disease, from spreading further. Key points to remember are:

The hospital says, "Please don’t visit hospital if you are ill, or have been ill within the last few days. (You could still be infectious) Norovirus is unpleasant, but the vast majority of cases can be safely cared for at home And please don’t come to A&E unless it is absolutely necessary."

ABM’s Lead Nurse for Infection Control Delyth Davies said:
“Norovirus illness can be quite unpleasant, particularly when you are a patient in hospital. We have procedures to help contain the virus in hospital but it can still cause significant disruption.

“We need the public to practice good hygiene and ask visitors to help us out by not coming into hospital if they’ve had diarrhoea or vomiting.�