Hospital Wards Closed By Bug ; Blow After Winter Virus Outbreak

By Tony Deeley

WARDS at a Black Country hospital were closed today after an out- break of the winter vomiting virus.

Three wards at the Manor Hospital, Walsall, have been isolated after patients were struck down.

No new admissions are being taken and relatives and other visitors are being advised to keep away. The virus is easily transmitted by contact with an infected person, consumption of contaminated food or water and contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.

Symptoms, which include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, begin about 12 to 48 hours after infection and last for 12 to 60 hours. Some people may have a raised temperature, headaches and aching limbs.

Dr Steve Jones, microbiologist at the hospital, said today the virus had struck ten patients across three wards, which had been closed to admissions.

He added: “We are implementing national guidelines. There is a large disinfectant campaign using chlorine-based disinfectant and we are also discouraging people from visiting patients.

“We want to allow the wards to become infection free before re- opening.”

Sarah Smith, director of development for the hospital trust, said: “There are three wards closed to admissions. We are reviewing the situation daily with a view to getting the wards open when it is safe to do so.”

Meanhile, two Birmingham hospitals have revealed they have been forced to cancel all routine operations due to winter bugs sweeping through the region.

Heartlands Hospital, in Bordesley Green, and Sutton Coldfield’s Good Hope Hospital have both been forced to postpone non-emergency operations for patients across north and east Birmingham and Solihull.

Lisa Dunn, Hospital Director at Heart of England Trust, which runs both hospitals, said an average of 10 patients a day were affected at Good Hope and one a day at Heartlands due to the cancellations.

It comes as hospitals across the region have buckled under the strain of winter illnesses, including an outbreak of infectious vomiting and diarrhoea bug, norovirus.

Ms Dunn said: “Due to significant winter pressures and an increase in medical emergencies some routine operations have had to be deferred.”

She added that the cancellation of routine operations came into force around four weeks ago and was still in place, affecting patients needing non-emergency surgery from hernia to knee operations.

Heart of England Trust had closed between two and three wards each at Heartlands, Solihull and Good Hope hospitals over the past three weeks.

Wards have now re-opened but 10 patients are still isolated with the bug at Heartlands, three at Solihull and four at Good Hope.

(c) 2008 Evening Mail; Birmingham (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.