WOULD-BE visitors to this area’s hospitals who show signs of a bug sweeping the region are being asked to stay away this weekend.
Experts at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and the Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax are urging people with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches and abdominal pains not to visit patients in case the symptoms lead to viral gastroenteritis.
The call comes after more than a dozen hospital wards across Yorkshire – including two at the CRH – had to be closed to new admissions this week.
No wards have yet been affected at HRI.
But St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Birkby was hit by the bug.
Sixty-five pupils and three teachers were struck down with sickness and diarrhoea on Thursday.
More pupils were absent yesterday.
A spokeswoman for the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospitals, said: “There are several cases in the community and we would ask people to please help us not to visit, if possible, to protect our patients and staff.
“Many people don’t know that diarrhoea and vomiting symptoms are often viral gastroenteritis.”
She said hand-washing was the most important way to prevent the spread of infection, especially before handling food and after using the toilet.
The trust also urges people visiting wards to use alcohol gel when entering and leaving.
