Northampton General Hospital suspends patient visiting

All visiting to Northampton General Hospital has been suspended until further notice because of an outbreak of the winter sickness bug Norovirus.

There are also restrictions at other hospitals in Northamptonshire.

People planning to visit hospitals in the county are being advised to telephone the ward or care home first.

"Viral gastroenteritis can be a problem in hospitals and care homes because it is highly infectious," a Northamptonshire NHS spokesman said.

To be safe anyone contracting the virus must be free of symptoms for at least 48 hours.

The best way to protect against Norovirus is by washing your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water, the NHS spokesman said.