Sickness bug hits hospitals

Five wards at Worthing Hospital were closed to admissions last week. St Richard's Hospital in Chichester also experienced suspected cases of Norovirus, which is more commonly known as winter diarrhoea and vomiting illness, among patients in Barnham, Singleton and Lavant wards. These wards were closed on Friday.

At the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, the Balcombe Ward was closed to admissions all of last week to manage an outbreak of the virus.

Two of the five wards at Worthing Hospital have now re-opened, and, as the Gazette went to print, a further two wards were being deep cleaned prior to fully opening again, which the trust hoped would be today (Wednesday).

One ward still remains closed to admissions.

A spokeswoman for Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust said around 50 patients were suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea at the hospital, though it had not been officially confirmed as Norovirus.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette December 5