Admissions To Five Wrexham Maelor Wards Stopped Amid Norovirus Warning

Wrexham Maelor Hospital is asking members of the local communities to help protect patients by being careful not to bring Norovirus into the Hospital.

The illness is starting to spread widely in the population and in the last three days cases have started to occur on a number of the Hospital’s wards.

At the moment admissions into five wards have been stopped completely, and restrictions have been placed on two other wards.

Tracey Cooper, the Health Board’s Assistant Director of Nursing responsible for Infection Control, said

“We always expect to see more cases of Norovirus as we approach winter, and we have seen a sudden increase in the last few days. Because of the way symptoms develop, a few days after infection, some people will come into hospital who do not yet know that they have been infected. But there is a lot that people can do to help us stop it spreading further.

“This is really important for us because although people who are generally healthy will get over a case of Norovirus within a few days, for people who are already ill it can be much more serious. And the restrictions we have to put on admissions means that other patients due to come into hospital may have their treatment delayed.

“So it is vital that that everyone follows the key rules to protect themselves, their families and, especially, our patients.”

BCUHB have issued the following ‘rules’:

• Visitors must not come into any of our hospitals if they have suffered from diarrhoea and/or vomiting in the previous 48 hours.
• Patients who are due to come in but have had either diarrhoea or vomiting in the previous 48 hours are asked to contact us first for advice, and so we can make appropriate arrangements.
• All visitors to our hospitals should follow the advice on the signs and notices at ward entrances and any guidance from nursing or other staff.
• Children should not come visiting to affected wards
• Everyone entering and leaving a ward must use the hand disinfectant

The Health Board adds: “The best way for members of the public to protect themselves is to ensure they wash their hands after visiting the toilet, and before eating, and avoid contact with people suffering from diarrhoea and/or vomiting.

“Although Norovirus is unpleasant, for most people who are generally healthy it is a short lived illness of two or three days and does not require specialist treatment or a hospital admission.”

People with symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting should ensure that they do not become dehydrated by continuing to drink plenty of fluids. They can get advice from their GP practice (people with active symptoms should telephone rather than attending in person to avoid infecting other people) or from NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. Advice is also available online from Public Health Wales here and a leaflet here.