TWO wards have been shut at Hereford County Hospital as a norovirus outbreak spreads.

The closures of Lugg ward and Frome ward come just 24 hours after Wye Valley NHS Trust again declared an "internal incident" at the hospital.

Patients with norovirus symptoms are also presenting at under pressure A&E.

It is the second time since January that Wye Valley NHS Trust has had to make the internal incident call.

The latest surge in patient numbers has been complicated by  norovirus closing inpatient wards.

Yesterday (Mon), the trust confirmed admission numbers as up by 16 per cent on this time last year.

Amongst those numbers are said to be a significant percentage of "seriously ill" patients unsuitable for quick discharge.

Many others are older with "complex needs".

The internal incident  was called after particular pressure on A&E over the weekend with staff already struggling to meet assessment and treatment targets.

Now, norovirus has meant visiting restrictions have been put in place for Lugg Ward and Frome Ward.

The trust is seeing a rise patients presenting at A&E with norovirus symptoms and subsequently having to be admitted.

Anyone who has experienced diarrhoea or vomiting is urged not to visit the hospital or attend appointments until free of such symptoms for at least 48 hours.

Last week, the Hereford Times reported that pressures on the hospital meant back office staff were working "frontline" as help with non-clinical tasks.