Hospital visitors asked to stay away if unwell

Hospitals in Norfolk and Waveney were facing "unprecedented demand", the NHS said

Friends and relatives of people in hospital have been asked to stay away if they feel unwell due to what the NHS said was "unprecedented demand".

People in Norfolk and Waveney in Suffolk have also been asked to postpone visiting if they have had contact with anyone who has been poorly.

It comes amid a surge in patients with seasonal illnesses like flu.

The NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) said hospitals were under pressure due to flu cases peaking earlier than usual.

Tricia D'Orsi, executive director of nursing at the ICB, said: "Patients in our hospitals are already dealing with health challenges, and the last thing they need is exposure to viruses brought in by visitors who are unwell themselves."

She urged people to get vaccinated against flu and Covid-19 if eligible.

Paul Morris is the chief nurse at James Paget University Hospital in Norfolk

Paul Morris, chief nurse at the James Paget University Hospital in Norfolk, said there had been a spike in cases following visits over Christmas and some visitors had been asked to wear masks.

He told the BBC the hospital was "exceptionally busy" which had resulted in long wait times for the emergency department.

"We are really challenged at the moment and like other hospitals that has resulted in delays at our front door and resulted in some people having to wait in the ambulances to be offloaded," he explained.

The ICB urged people to be careful when visiting any vulnerable patients in the community and said hospitals were "experiencing unprecedented demand".

Rachael Cocker, chief nurse at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: "This December has been one of the busiest periods we've seen in recent years.

"Typically, we see this level of flu admissions in mid-late January, but the early spike has added strain on our services."