Royal Berks imposes visiting restrictions to combat Norovirus
Maxwell Kusi Obodum • Published 3 Jan 2013 17:00
PEOPLE with the winter vomiting bug Norovirus are being warned to stay away from the Royal Berkshire Hospital after more patients were struck down with the illness.
Bosses at the Reading hospital enforced visiting restrictions today to prevent the bug spreading and are urging families to cut out non-essential trips to see relatives being cared for there.
Hospital spokesman Joe Wise stressed only a "very small" number of wards are affected, but added: "We are asking people who think they need to visit a close relative to ask themselves 'is the visit essential'? We need everyone to take all possible measures to help us keep the virus from being brought into the hospital and affecting more of our patients. Parents whose children are patients in the children's wards may visit but should not bring siblings with them.
He added: "We realise the restrictions will be inconvenient but hope that the public will realise the importance of taking every possible reasonable step to protect our patients."
More than one million people have contracted the virus nationally and symptoms include nausea followed by vomiting and diarrhoea, plus headaches, stomach cramps and aching limbs and a body temperature of more than 38°C (100.4°F).
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