Two wards at Grimsby's hospital have been closed after an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting and there are fears it may be due to norovirus, the winter vomiting bug.
Wards B6 and B7 at the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital were closed off today and hospital chiefs urged visitors who have been suffering from diarrhoea or vomiting are urged not to come to the hospital until they have been symptom free for 48 hours.
Dr Peter Cowling, trust consultant microbiologist, said: "Patients from these wards will not be discharged to nursing or residential homes while they remain an infection risk and we have closed these wards to new admissions.
"The infection prevention and control team is reviewing the situation daily and regular and frequent disinfection is being carried out on the wards to contain the outbreak.
"This type of illness does come into the hospital from time to time, as in other hospitals across the country, and that is why we have a robust infection control policy in place to deal with such eventualities.
"This illness lasts about 24 hours and, although unpleasant, very rarely causes serious medical problems."
Tests are being carried out to establish if the outbreak is due to norovirus.
Hospital staff are being advised not to go to work if they have symptoms and to stay off for 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped, as they will be infectious to others during this period.
Both wards will remain closed to admissions until the infection prevention and control team decide no further cases are likely.
