VISITORS have been banned from a hospital to contain a “very nasty” outbreak of sickness and diarrhoea among patients and staff.

Some 55 patients and 35 staff at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath have now been affected by the particularly contagious strain of norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug.

The hospital has taken the exceptional step of closing its inpatient wards to visitors to reduce the risk of further infection and to protect patients.

Patients on the seven affected wards who are ready to be discharged are not being moved on to nursing homes in order to avoid further spread of the virus in the community.

Staff movements around the hospital are also being restricted and volunteers are also being asked not to come on to the wards.

It has also impacted planned operations and the hospital's accident and emergency department because the wards cannot take on new patients.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust chief nurse Sheree Fagge said: “In order to stop the spread of this very nasty strain of norovirus we need to restrict the number of people moving around our wards.

“I know how much visitors mean to people in hospital and we have not taken this decision lightly.

“We will of course discuss special arrangements for individual patients and we thank everyone for their co-operation at this particularly difficult time.”

The wards affected are Balcombe, Pycombe, Ardingly, Ansty, Newtimber, Albourne and Horsted Keynes.

Anyone with symptoms of diarrhoea or vomiting should not come to hospital or visit their GP surgery.

If a person feels unwell with gastrointestinal symptoms they are advised to stay at home and drink plenty of water.

People are also urged to phone their GP practice or the NHS 111 helpline if they need advice or a referral to the out of hours GP service.

People can protect themselves and others by observing good hand hygiene measures, with soap and hot water, at all times.

It is the first outbreak the trust, which also runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, has experienced so far this winter.

The situation is being monitored closely by the trust's infection control team and work will include deep cleaning the wards affected before they reopen.