91Èȱ¬

A hospital dealing with an outbreak of norovirus has been closed to visitors in a bid to contain the bug.

East Surrey Hospital in Redhill said 10 of its wards had been affected by the winter sickness bug.

In a statement, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said it had not taken the decision lightly and knew it would upset some people.

But it said the measures were needed to protect patients in the hospital, which serves parts of Surrey and Sussex.

Consultant microbiologist Bruce Stewart said the hospital was already facing nearly double the number of cases this year, compared with last year.

Chief executive Michael Wilson said patients had been informed that visitors had been told to stay away, but every ward had phones and people could still talk to patients or leave messages for them.

The hospital said outpatient services were currently unaffected, but people showing symptoms of norovirus should keep away for 48 hours until after symptoms have stopped.