Ward reopens as norovirus bugs affect hospitals in north and south west Wales

One ward has reopened at six hospitals in north and south west Wales hit by the winter vomiting bug norovirus.

Glaslyn ward at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor reopened on Thursday morning.

Other wards remain closed or partially closed to admissions at the hospital and also at Wrexham Maelor, Glan Clwyd at Bodelwyddan, Colwyn Bay, Tywyn and Haverfordwest's Withybush Hospital.

Two wards at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth remain closed due to a sickness and diarrhoea bug.

Visitors are urged to "think twice" before visiting the affected wards.

Managers said visitors should not bring babies or children onto the wards.

A spokeswoman for the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said: "Glaslyn ward reopened on Thursday morning, and we expect that some of the others which are affected - Aran, Dulas, Glyder, Moelwyn and Cynan - to reopen during the day.

"People have been asking too what happens to patients when a ward is closed, and the situation is that the patients stay on the ward, no new admissions are allowed, and patients are not moved on either.

"This is in case the infection is transferred to somewhere else such a care home if an elderly person is waiting to be moved," he added.

The advice to people visiting the hospital is:

• To wait at least 48 hours if they have experienced symptoms of vomiting or diarrhoea and no more than two visitors should be at a patient's bedside at any one time.

• Visitors should always wash their hands with soap and water before entering and exiting the ward.

The main symptoms of the norovirus infection are sudden nausea, stomach ache followed by severe 'projectile' vomiting and or diarrhoea. People may also have a slight fever, headache, stomach cramps and aching limbs.

Symptoms usually begin between 12 to 48 hours after a person becomes infected with most healthy people making a recovery within one to three days.

The Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Tony Jewell, says anyone with norovirus should not turn up at hospital emergency departments for treatment unless advised to, and not to visit anyone in hospital.

Hywel Dda Health Board said the situation remained the same in its hospitals with three wards and some other areas at Withybush temporarily closed to new admissions after an outbreak of norovirus.

At Bronglais in Aberystwyth, it said two wards had been closed following a sickness and diarrhoea bug, but one was expected to reopen following a deep clean.

Some areas in the cardiac monitoring unit and Rheidol ward have also been hit.

All the affected areas are currently closed to new admissions.