A BAY has been closed to new admissions at a Suffolk hospital after an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.

Russell Claydon

A BAY has been closed to new admissions at a Suffolk hospital after an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.

Visitors are now being asked to help staff reduce infections by staying away from Ipswich Hospital if they are feeling sick.

Hospital bosses have also warned visiting times could be cut as they look to keep the spread of the norovirus bug, which affects hundreds of people in the community each year, under control.

The Heath Road site currently has one six-bedded medical bay closed to new admissions because of the six cases of the winter vomiting bug on the site.

Sufferers get bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting which last for one or two days, but may remain contagious even after they start feeling better.

Gwen Collins, director of nursing and quality at the hospital, yesterday issued a plea to visitors to help them stop an unnecessary spread of the infection amongst patients.

She said: “If you are able to visit, please make sure you wash your hands with soap and water on arrival to the ward, and wash them again before you leave the ward.

“We are also asking everyone to please bear with us if we have to restrict visiting times.”

Mrs Collins added: “Thanks to the community's backing we have achieved a great deal in reducing the number of infections in hospital - but one is one too many.

“I hope everyone will help us in the run up to Christmas and in the following weeks - this is the time when we are traditionally at our most busy.”

West Suffolk Hospital said it had not experienced a case of the infection yet but were also warning people to be careful about entering their premises if they are or have been feeling unwell.

Dr Caroline Barker, the hospital's infection control doctor, said: “We would ask anyone who has had diarrhoea or vomiting to please stay away from the hospital for at least 72 hours after they have recovered to reduce the risk of the illness spreading to our patients.”

The James Paget Hospital, in Gorleston, also issued the same plea and said it was yet to see a case of the virus in the hospital.