Norovirus patients urged to stay away from hospitals

The infection is a common illness, with symptoms including sudden projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea, possibly with stomach cramps and headaches.

There is no treatment for the virus and most people will recover within a few days.

But because it is highly infectious, people are being urged to stay away from public places, including doctors’ surgeries and hospitals.

Dr David Spence, the region’s deputy director of health protection said: “Outbreaks of norovirus infection are common as winter approaches.

“However, the impact on individuals and care settings, such as hospitals and residential care homes, can be limited to some 
extent, with simple actions.

“In hospitals, it is necessary to isolate cases and partial closures of wards are common as measures are taken to contain it.”