A second Worcestershire hospital has banned visitors after an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting.
The Alexandra Hospital in Redditch was forced to close just 24 hours after health bosses at Worcestershire Royal Hospital did the same thing.
Families arriving last night were turned away by nurses who told them they must wait indefinitely to visit.
It is the second outbreak in as many months at hospitals in Worcestershire after the same symptoms struck down more than 130 patients across the NHS Trust in October. Last night a spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We have had 19 people admitted to the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, with diarrhoea and vomiting. We are awaiting the results of tests which will identify whether these patients have Norovirus. As a precautionary measure we have banned visitors to all adult wards.
“We acknowledge this may cause difficulty but appreciate the support of families and visitors in helping us to contain the outbreak. In ‘exceptional’ circumstances restricted visiting may be granted by the ward Matron. Patients who have outpatient appointments should attend as long as they are well or free of diarrhoea and vomiting.”
