A HOSPITAL has pleaded with patients to stay away unless they have an “urgent clinical need” – after a surge in norovirus cases forced it to ban visitors from seven wards.
Bosses at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill placed tighter restrictions on visiting in an effort to stop the vomiting bug tearing through the hospital.
In a statement, the hospital said: “Due to an increased number of norovirus cases, please do not visit East Surrey Hospital unless you have an urgent clinical need and especially if you are experiencing diarrhoea or vomiting, or have experienced any symptoms in the last 48 hours.”
The plea comes as norovirus cases in hospitals across England dropped for a fourth week in row, according to figures released by the NHS.
A number of trusts, including East Surrey Hospital, declared critical incidents in January as they grappled with a “tidal wave” of winter illnesses – flu, Covid-19, RSV and norovirus.
Vomiting bug infections continued to soar well into February, with A&E admissions reaching record highs and health bosses even warning of a second wave.
In the week ending March 16, there were 899 hospital patients with norovirus – down from the winter peak of 1,160 seen in mid-February.
Cases are still around a third higher than the 680 cases recorded in the same period last year, the NHS noted.
At East Surrey hospital, people were told that visits to certain wards would be unless approved by the ward manager in exceptional circumstances.
The wards that visitors can’t enter until further notice are the acute medical unit (AMU), Meadvale, Abinger, Smallfield, Godstone, the inpatient rehabilitation unit (IRU) and Capel.
Ed Cetti, chief medical officer for Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, told the BBC that patient safety was the “top priority”.
He said measures would ensure that people with urgent and life-threatening injuries or illnesses continued to be treated safely and quickly.
The decision to restrict ward visitors had not been taken lightly and would be kept under close review, Mr Cetti added.
“We know how important visitors are to those recovering in hospital,” he said.
“There is more information about visiting, as well as the alternative urgent care options available locally if your condition isn’t life-threatening, available on our website.”
The Trust said that it will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates on its website, thanking people for their understanding and cooperation.
How does norovirus spread?
Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, is a very contagious stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea, as well as a high temperature, headache, tummy pain, and body aches.
The illness can spread between people very easily and quickly, with symptoms striking suddenly within hours or days after infection.
You can get norovirus by accidentally getting tiny poo or vomit particles in your mouth from a person infected with norovirus.
If you get norovirus, you can shed billions of norovirus particles that you can’t see without a microscope.
Norovirus: Key symptoms + how to protect yourself
The main symptoms or norovirus, according to the NHS, are:
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Diarrhoea
- Being sick (vomiting)
You may also have:
- A high temperature
- A headache
- Aching arms and legs
You can usually treat norovirus at home – the most important thing to do is rest and have lots of fluids to avoid dehydration.
As norovirus is easily spread it’s important to do what you can to prevent catching it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends four things you can do to protect yourself.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially:
- After using the toilet or changing nappies
- Before eating, preparing, or handling food
- Before giving yourself or someone else medicine
It’s important to be aware hand sanitisers don’t always work well against norovirus.
You can use them in addition to hand washing, but it shouldn’t be a substitution.
Before preparing and eating your food the CDC recommends the following:
- Carefully wash fruits and vegetables well
- Cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 63°C
- Routinely clean and sanitise kitchen utensils, cutting boards, counters, and surfaces, especially after handling shellfish
- Keep raw oysters away from ready-to-eat food in your shopping basket, refrigerator, and on cutting boards
- Throw away food that might contain norovirus
Noroviruses are relatively resistant to heat and can survive temperatures as high as 63°C.
Quick steaming processes will not heat foods enough to kill noroviruses.
And be aware food contaminated with norovirus may look, smell, or taste normal.
After someone with norovirus vomits and has diarrhoea you should:
- Wear rubber or disposable gloves and wipe the entire area with paper towels and throw them in a plastic trash bag
- Disinfect the area as directed on the product label
- Leave bleach disinfectant on the affected area for at least five minutes
- Clean the entire area again with soap and hot water
- Wash laundry, take out the trash, and wash your hands
An expert recently warned norovirus can spread via clothes.
Immediately remove and wash clothes or linens that may have vomit or poo on them.
When you do this:
- Wear rubber or disposable gloves
- Handle items carefully without shaking them
- Wash the items with detergent and hot water at the maximum available cycle length and then machine dry them at the highest heat setting
- Wash your hands after with soap and water
It only takes a few norovirus particles to make you and other people sick.
These can spread through:
- Close contact with someone with norovirus
- Touching surfaces or objects that have the virus on them, then touching your mouth
- Eating food that’s been prepared or handled by someone with norovirus
- Drinking unclean water or infected food
The bug can spread rapidly through hospitals, making patients, staff and visitors ill.
Continued pressure on NHS
Aside from norovirus, flu cases in hospitals also plummeted to 1,174 from their January peak of 5,408.
Around 1,030 patients are in hospital for COVID-19 – slightly up from 1,012 in the previous week.
But while the worst of this winter is over, pressure on hospital staff remains stubbornly high, the NHS warned.
More than nine in ten adult hospital beds are currently occupied
Staff absences continue to pose significant challenges for NHS teams, with around 47,097 people off sick per day.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “The NHS has weathered another winter storm thanks to the dedication of hard-working staff over the last few months.
“But pressure on NHS staff never goes away – they are currently managing high bed occupancy, ongoing COVID hospitalisations, and higher than normal norovirus cases.
“People should continue to use NHS services in the normal way – using 111 and 111 online if you need advice and support for health conditions – and only use 999 or attend A&E in life-threatening emergencies.”
