Hospital visitors told '˜stay away' due to bug

Dr Richard Wright, Southern Trust Medical Director has appealed to people only to visit Trust hospitals if necessary and to respect hospital visiting rules at all times to prevent the spread of infections.

Dr Wright was responding to the recent increase in cases of flu and vomiting and diarrhoea in the community which has already impacted on some wards in Craigavon and Daisy Hill Hospitals.

Dr Wright said: “We understand that friends and family want to see loved ones in hospital and that patients are greatly comforted by their visits.

However, to protect often vulnerable patients from infections we need visitors to respect our simple visiting rules – i.e. don’t visit if you or someone in your house has symptoms of cold, flu, vomiting or diarrhoea, no more than two visitors to each patient at any time and wash your hands before entering and leaving wards etc.

“The Hospital visiting rules are displayed near the hospital lifts and on all ward doors but I know from talking to staff on the wards that there is a significant problem with large groups of people coming to a ward to visit a patient, often outside of the visiting times and often they bring food and beverages in with them. Our staff work tirelessly to ensure that Southern Trust hospitals have some of the lowest levels of infection and they can be placed in a very difficult position having to remind visitors of the rules.”