A HOSPITAL has closed a ward to new admissions after patients were struck down with a highly infectious bug.

Three people on Pyecombe ward at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath have developed sickness and diarrhoea caused by the norovirus.

The ward was closed on Tuesday but a third patient developed symptoms yesterday, meaning it will now not reopen for up to 48 hours.

Infection control bosses at the hospital are working to avoid a repeat of the major outbreak which swept across the Princess Royal in February and affected more than 60 patients and 30 staff.

At that time the hospital was forced to close all wards to visitors and divert all but the most critically-ill ambulance patients to other hospitals.

Shutting wards to new admissions has a knock-on effect on other parts of the hospital, with the subsequent shortage of available beds leading to longer waits in accident and emergency or cancelled operations.

Anyone with symptoms of diarrhoea or vomiting should not come to hospital but should contact their GP surgery, the out of hours GP service or the 111 service for advice.

Those feeling unwell with gastrointestinal symptoms should stay at home and drink plenty of water and not visit friends or relatives in hospital until they are free of the symptoms for at least 48 hours.

Regularly washing your hands with soap and water will help prevent the spread of infection.