Shropshire hospital wards hit by norovirus outbreak

A total of 92 patients at the Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal hospitals were hit by the norovirus last month. The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust said 16 wards were affected by closures during December, with seven at the RSH and nine more at the PRH.

Ward 15 at the PRH was closed to new admissions between December 17 and 20 as part of attempts to contain the outbreak.

Norovirus caused more problems in Telford, with 57 patients affected, nine wards hit and 13 bays closed.

In Shrewsbury, 35 patients were hit, with the virus affecting seven wards and resulting in nine bay closures.

A spokesman for the trust said: "As always we would advise people who have had symptoms of Norovirus or any other winter vomiting bug in the past 48 hours not to visit hospital.

"This helps us to protect vulnerable patients and staff by preventing new infections being brought in to hospital."

The Health Protection Agency said last month more than one million people across the country are thought to have contracted norovirus this winter.

The bug causes acute sickness and diarrhoea and is highly contagious.

It comes as the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust announced that it is maintaining its record of tackling infections, with 300 days clocked up since the last MRSA case was recorded in its hospitals.

Only two cases have been recorded by the trust in the last 27 months.

Vicky Morris, chief nurse and director of quality and safety at the trust, said that reducing infections was a 'top priority' for the trust.

Simple steps of washing hand with soap and water help prevent the spread of infections such as MRSA, and winter bugs.

By Chris Burn