University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is reminding
people to avoid visiting its hospitals if they have had symptoms of
diarrhoea and vomiting in the previous 48 hours.
Norovirus is brought into hospitals from the local community and
is easily spread by contact with people suffering diarrhoea and
vomiting who may have contaminated the environment. Some patients
do not realise they are already incubating the virus when they
attend hospital.
Airborne spread occurs during episodes of vomiting, to those in
close proximity at the time.
Symptoms appear 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus and
can last for up to three days.
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is asking
people with symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting not to present
themselves for initial treatment at Accident and Emergency
departments " they should first contact their GP or out-of-hours
service for advice.
Those due to come into the hospital for an operation or
appointment and have symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting should
phone ahead to let the nursing staff know and to get further
advice.
Every year most UK hospitals, and also many schools and nursing
homes are affected by Norovirus.
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is continuing
to restrict its visiting hours. Visiting will only take place
between 2pm - 3pm and 7pm - 8pm - two visitors only will be allowed
per hour visiting session with no change of visitors during a
single visiting session. These visiting hours will remain the
same for the winter period.
The Trust is asking parents not to bring children under the age
of 11 to visit. These restrictions currently exclude childrens and
maternity wards. Exceptions to these rules may be authorised by the
ward sister or the nurse in charge in extraordinary circumstances.
Please discuss with ward staff or phone ahead of your visit, if you
have any questions.
Visitors are asked not to bring in food that could stay on
lockers unwrapped such as crisps, chocolates, fruit or cake.
Instead visitors are being asked to bring items that are
individually wrapped.
