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Barnet Hospital closed to visitors after Norovirus outbreak
10:50am Friday 26th February 2010
By Kevin Bradford ? <!-- Actual Article Text Start -->
AN OUTBREAK of a serious stomach bug has forced health bosses to close Barnet Hospital to visitors.
Doctors are asking people planning to visit patients on wards not to do so due to the spread of highly infectious Norovirus around the site, in Wellhouse Lane.
The restriction will be reviewed on a daily basis but until it is lifted, people are being urged not to go to the hospital unless it is absolutely necessary.
A statement from Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust (BCFHNT) said all patients, unless affected by Norovirus, should still attend their hospital appointments.
Terina Riches, director of nursing and infection prevention and control at BCFHNT said: "We want to protect our patients by restricting the chances of people spreading this infection.
?For this reason, regrettably, we are asking that people do not visit, unless absolutely necessary. It's very important that people who have had the virus, or been in contact with someone who has had it, take precautions to avoid spreading it.
?That means not going back to work or school until two days after the symptoms have stopped."
The Norovirus stomach bug causes nausea and diarrhoea and is very easily spread from person to person. The spread of infection is easiest in places where group of people are in close proximity for reasonable amounts of time such as residential homes, schools, hospitals and workplaces.
Health chiefs said the virus lasts around two days and no treatment is usually required, however, even after the symptoms have cleared up people may still carry the virus and infect others up to three days after their own symptoms have stopped.
10:50am Friday 26th February 2010
By Kevin Bradford ? <!-- Actual Article Text Start -->
AN OUTBREAK of a serious stomach bug has forced health bosses to close Barnet Hospital to visitors.
Doctors are asking people planning to visit patients on wards not to do so due to the spread of highly infectious Norovirus around the site, in Wellhouse Lane.
The restriction will be reviewed on a daily basis but until it is lifted, people are being urged not to go to the hospital unless it is absolutely necessary.
A statement from Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust (BCFHNT) said all patients, unless affected by Norovirus, should still attend their hospital appointments.
Terina Riches, director of nursing and infection prevention and control at BCFHNT said: "We want to protect our patients by restricting the chances of people spreading this infection.
?For this reason, regrettably, we are asking that people do not visit, unless absolutely necessary. It's very important that people who have had the virus, or been in contact with someone who has had it, take precautions to avoid spreading it.
?That means not going back to work or school until two days after the symptoms have stopped."
The Norovirus stomach bug causes nausea and diarrhoea and is very easily spread from person to person. The spread of infection is easiest in places where group of people are in close proximity for reasonable amounts of time such as residential homes, schools, hospitals and workplaces.
Health chiefs said the virus lasts around two days and no treatment is usually required, however, even after the symptoms have cleared up people may still carry the virus and infect others up to three days after their own symptoms have stopped.
