A NOROVIRUS outbreak at the Royal Berkshire Hospital has been brought under control, according to staff.

Around five wards were thought to have been hit by the stomach bug with a number of areas being put into temporary isolation to prevent it spreading further.

A spike in the number of patients contracting the virus was noticed on Tuesday sparking a warning for visitors to think before arriving at the hospital.

Common symptoms of the virus include projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea and there is no known cure.

Anyone who believes they may have contracted it is still asked to wait at least 48 hours after the symptoms stop before they attend the RBH.

A spokesman for the hospital's trust said: "The Trust believes that the Norovirus infection reported yesterday (Tuesday) is being contained and is stepping down from the “outbreak” status.

"However, it continues to ask members of the public visiting patients in the hospital, to observe strict hand hygiene and to not come into the hospital if they have had diarrhoea and/or vomiting within the past 48 hours."

Norovirus is the most common cause of infectious diarrhoea and vomiting in the UK with up to a million cases a year.

It can easily be spread through close contact with a contaminated person, surface or foodstuff.

Measures which can contain the virus include staying home if infected and regularly washing hands as alcohol-based rubs are ineffective at killing the virus.

Sufferers usually find the symptoms clear up without the need for medial treatment in a few days.

See online at NHSChoices, call a GP or NHS 111 for further advice.