Bosses at West Suffolk Hospital are hopeful that one of the two wards closed after an outbreak of the highly contagious norovirus bug could reopen by New Year’s Day.

The hospital in Bury St Edmunds was forced to close ward G4 on Christmas Day after seven patients started showing symptoms of the diarrhoea and vomiting virus.

Ward F3 was then closed on Monday after a further five patients began to show symptoms.

Speaking yesterday, a spokeswoman for the hospital said that only one patient on G4 ward was believed to have the bug and deep cleaning had begun on the other bays in preparation to reopen on January 1.

However, the situation on F3 remains the same and the ward is still shut.

People who have had diarrhoea or vomiting are urged to stay away from the hospital for at least 72 hours after they have recovered to avoid infecting someone who is already sick with the virus.

Visitors to the affected wards are reminded to clean their hands in the portable sinks on site using soap and alcohol and before they leave.

The alcohol gel is not effective against the virus.

Jon Green, chief operating officer at West Suffolk Hospital, said on Monday that the outbreak “added to the challenges” of patient flow in what is traditionally one of the site’s busiest times of the year.