With patients having developed diarrhoea and vomiting illness, seemingly in an indication of a suspected outbreak of the norovirus winter bug, two hospitals - Northwick Park in Harrow, and Richard Wells Ward at Bedford Hospital – have closed beds and wards.

As many as 82 beds in two wards at the 500-bed Northwick Park hospital have been closed by the authorities, following symptoms of sickness and diarrhoea in the patients. Because of the same reason, Belford Hospital closed its Richard Wells ward to prevent the virus from spreading among the patients, the hospital staff, and the visitors.

In addition, the hospitals have also restricted the number of daily visitors to one person per patient; and it is also being advised that people should make a call before they set off from home to visit the patients.

Furthermore, people suffering from symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea are being advised to stay at home and get in touch with their GP.

Requesting the visitors to cooperate with the hospital authorities by observing visiting restrictions, Eiri Jones – Belford Hospital’s Director of nursing and patient services – elaborated that limiting visiting to affected areas can go a long way in helping the hospitals prevent the spread of the highly contagious norovirus infection.

Emphasizing the importance of taking the necessary precautions, Jones warned: “Norovirus is extremely contagious and is easily passed through person-to-person contact, unwashed hands, touching surfaces and through virus particles carried in the air.”