Norovirus closes second ward but Victoria Wing might reopen today

ANOTHER ward was shut at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital and more operations cancelled as cases of diarrhoea and vomiting spread yesterday.

Published Jan 7, 2010

TWO operations have been cancelled and the number of people with flu-like symptoms has more than doubled as Health and Social Services works to cope with an increase in sickness.

ANOTHER ward was shut at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital and more operations cancelled as cases of diarrhoea and vomiting spread yesterday.

Arnold Ward was closed after patients went down with similar symptoms to those that shut Victoria Wing on Monday.

Samples taken on Monday for testing identified norovirus as the cause.

'At this time of year, it is not unusual for outbreaks of norovirus to occur in hospitals, nursing and residential homes and other buildings occupied by large numbers of people,' said a Health and Social Services spokesman.

There was a similar outbreak at the PEH in early January 2009.

Several hospitals in the UK have also reported similar outbreaks this week, he said.

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