Sickness outbreak shuts six wards

Six wards at two Sandwell hospitals have been closed following an outbreak of the winter sickness bug – and visitors have been banned from seeing patients in more than a dozen.

Hospital bosses immediately closed the wards at Sandwell General Hospital and Rowley Regis Hospital following an outbreak of the norovirus yesterday.

Visitors have been banned from visiting all 11 adult wards at Sandwell General until next Monday after four were sealed off. New admissions have also been suspended to the four affected wards.

At Sandwell Hospital Lyndon Four and Five and Priory Three and Four were closed after 28 patients and six members of staff were struck down with sickness.

At Rowley Regis Hospital, the McCarthy ward, and the Eliza Tinsley ward were shut after eight patients and one member of staff were affected. The Westwood ward was closed as a precautionary measure.

All three wards at Rowley Regis Hospital have also been closed to new admissions and visitors.

But health bosses stressed that patient services at Sandwell General – including Accident and Emergency – were open as normal.

Vanya Rogers, spokeswoman for Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, said banning visitors from the adult wards at Sandwell Hospital was a precautionary measure.

"In exceptional cases however, restricted visiting will be allowed," she said. "This will need to be discussed with the ward manager or nurse in charge.

"Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust apologises for any inconvenience that this causes. Visitors' co-operation during this difficult time is appreciated."

The norovirus spreads easily from person to person, and it is possible for infection to recur several times as immunity to the virus lasts for only 14 weeks.