Norovirus: Winter vomiting bug shuts Leominster hospital

The Wye Valley NHS Trust, which runs hospitals in Herefordshire, including Hereford County, said there had been confirmed cases of norovirus at one site.

That site, Leominster Community Hospital, in South Street, has seen its wards closed to visitors as a result.

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People have been told by the trust to only go to the hospital if they "really need to".

Anyone who has symptoms of diarrhoea and/or vomiting in the previous 48 hours should not visit any hospitals.

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Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, is highly infectious and easily transmitted through contact with infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.

The NHS says the main symptoms of norovirus are feeling sick, diarrhoea and being sick, with a high temperature, headache and aching arms and legs also possible.

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The symptoms start suddenly within one to two days of being infected, it added, saying that people should rest and drink fluids.

They will usually start to feel better in two to three days.