STAFF at Great Western Hospital are working to limit the spread of infectious diseases this winter as the norovirus season takes hold, warning visitors to stay away if they fall victim to the vomiting and diarrhoea bug.

Prone to spreading even two days after symptoms clear, norovirus is a stomach bug which is common in the community at this time of year and can affect people of all ages.

It can spread quickly in places where there are lots of people, such as hotels, restaurants, nursing homes and schools.

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is asking friends and relatives not to visit patients if they have experienced vomiting or diarrhoea within the last 48 hours or have been in contact with anyone suffering from the symptoms.

Lisa Hocking, Infection Prevention and Control Lead Nurse at Great Western Hospital, said: "We are aware of a number of schools with outbreaks of diarrhoea and vomiting, and neighbouring trusts with outbreaks have had ward closures.

"Thankfully we do not have a problem here as yet, and we want to keep it that way.

"We do follow a seasonal curve and once other hospitals go down we will probably follow suit in a number of weeks, so we want the public to be vigilant when patients start to develop symptoms.

"That is just to keep the system flowing, so we want to give people the right advice that if they start exhibiting symptoms, not to come and visit.

"We are conscious we are busy at the moment, but to add this to the equation we would be really stuck, so we need to be proactive about it. The risk is we know it's out there, and we can see what's going on around us so we don't want to follow suit.

"People should really stay at home and keep their own home clean so they are not spreading it around their family members. People should be washing all surfaces especially after preparing and eating food, and importantly not to come into hospital with flu-like symptoms, because that will end up spreading the infection.

"People are particularly vulnerable in hospital, so it is important people don't come in if they are not particularly well themselves.

"We will be informing visitors of any wards experiencing problems so they can make the decision for themselves.

"We will get outbreaks, but our outbreaks are usually in reasonable numbers.

"We haven't had multiple ward closures since the flu year in 2009, and we don't want a repeat of that, because that is awful for patients and for staff.

"Inevitably as winter goes on we will see one or two closures, and while haven't had a really horrible winter for while, it doesn't take much for that to tilt. We will try to protect people as much as we can. Some hospitals ban visiting, but we have not taken that stance.

"Please help us protect patients, staff and other visitors, by washing your hands thoroughly and using the alcohol hand gel available outside every ward and department.

"Norovirus is easily spread, and you can still pass it to others for up to two days after symptoms have cleared. So, even if you’re feeling better, if you’ve experienced vomiting or diarrhoea within the last 48 hours or have been in contact with anyone else with the symptoms, please don’t come into hospital."

The trust is also asking people not to visit patients in hospital if they are suffering from any other potentially infectious disease, such as flu.