28 Oct 2011
A Cornwall campaign has been launched to curtail the spread of a disease that causes sickness and diarrhoea.
NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly has distributed leaflets and posters to pharmacies, surgeries and hospitals about norovirus.
The winter vomiting bug can lead to some people needing medical treatment and the trust is promoting basic hygiene to combat it.
The Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, in Truro, had to close four wards in January as a result of norovirus, while in February 2010, restrictions were placed on the Royal Cornwall, West Cornwall and St Michael’s hospitals for several weeks due to it.
Lisa Johnson, director of infection prevention and control for the NHS body, said: “Norovirus tends to be most prevalent in the winter months and last year was circulating alongside the flu virus, putting additional strain on healthcare services.
“We hope that by encouraging some simple hygiene measures that we can reduce the risk of it finding its way into hospital settings.”
Copyright Press Association 2011