Bug is under control

HOSPITAL wards that closed following the outbreak of a stomach bug could reopen by the weekend. De Saumarez Ward, at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, closed to admissions on Friday, while Kinnersley Ward at the King Edward VII followed suit on Monday after patients suffered diarrhoea and vomiting.

A Health and Social Services spokesman said no new cases were reported yesterday and some patients had been allowed to go home. It is the time of year for the norovirus bug to be prominent.

'Wards have been closed every year at around this time,' he said.

'However, only one or two wards from each site have been closed, which shows how excellent the staff are at containing the outbreak.'

Outbreaks had spread to five or six wards in some UK hospitals.

Three patients had the symptoms at the King Edward, while two patients and a member of staff were affected at the PEH. All were recovering slowly but wards would not reopen until all patients had been free of the symptoms for at least 48 hours.

De Saumarez is a medical ward while Kinnersley provides care for the elderly. Patients who would have been admitted to either are being taken in by others in the same hospitals. The situation did create a lack of beds and resulted in a threat of the germ spreading.

'The infection control team are liaising with the admissions department on a daily basis to ensure contingency plans are in place if medical beds are required.'

Both wards are closed to new admissions: only staff essential to the patients' care are being allowed in. Visitors are permitted but they can visit only their relatives and must wash their hands on entering and leaving. Specimens have been sent to microbiology to isolate the source of the outbreak. The spokesman urged anyone who had symptoms of the bug to stay away from the hospitals altogether.