Wards shut and visitors barred as norovirus grips East Surrey Hospital
East Surrey Hospital in Redhill is currently experiencing ’continued high levels’ of norovirus alongside ’significant levels of sustained demand’ on its emergency care services.
An NHS Trust has declared a "critical incident" as a norovirus outbreak at one of its hospital has entered its second week.
All wards at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill have temporarily restricted visitation as a result of the outbreak. Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (SASH) said the hospital is currently experiencing "continued high levels" of norovirus alongside "significant levels of sustained demand" on its emergency care services.
Norovirus, often referred to as the "stomach bug" or winter vomiting disease, is a highly contagious virus causing severe vomiting and diarrhoea. It spreads rapidly through contaminated food, water, surfaces, or direct contact with infected people, and symptoms usually appear suddenly 12-48 hours after exposure.
Last Wednesday, East Surrey Hospital closed multiple wards as the SASH urged the public not to attend the hospital if they have had diarrhoea or vomited in the last 48 hours.
The Trust has put in place temporary visiting restrictions to all its wards at the 744-bed hospital "until further notice", with exceptions for patients on end of life care, in maternity and paediatric wards and in the Emergency Department (ED), reports Surrey Live.
In line with this, the SASH has asked the public to only attend the ED for serious or life-threatening conditions or medical emergencies. Staff may also need to reschedule some non-urgent appointments to accommodate those patients with the most urgent clinical need.
Speaking on the critical incident, Dr Ed Cetti, Chief Medical Officer for Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "In response to the continued high levels of Norovirus across our hospital, sustained demand in our Emergency Department, and the challenges we are facing moving patients around the site in line with necessary infection control measures, the Trust has declared a Critical Incident.
"Temporary visiting restrictions to all our wards at East Surrey Hospital therefore remain in place until further notice, with the exception of patients on end of life care, in our maternity and paediatric wards, and in ED. This will help to reduce the risk of further spread and support patient safety.
"In line with our strengthened infection prevention measures, we continue to ask members of the public not to come to the hospital if they have had diarrhoea or vomiting in the last 48 hours.
"We know how important visiting is and we are keeping these measures under close review and will lift them as soon as we are able to. More information on visiting and local urgent care options is available on our website."
Anyone coming to East Surrey Hospital must follow additional infection control measures to help reduce the spread of Norovirus, including practicing good hand-hygiene, reducing their movement around the site, and wearing masks affected in clinical areas.
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