Ward at centre of norovirus outbreak at South Tyneside District Hospital set to reopen

Ward 19 at the hospital – an elderly care ward – was closed to new patients last week after staff began to treat a number of patients for suspected norovirus.

The bug causes symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, raised temperatures and headaches.

South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust says the situation has improved over recent days, so much so that ward 19 was ready to reopen today.

Health chiefs are still reminding visitors, though, to take extra care.

A spokesman for South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust said: “The situation regarding norovirus at South Tyneside District Hospital is continuing to improve, with the ward that had been closed to new admissions last week (week ending Friday 16th) set to re-open (on Friday, December 23).

“However, the public are still being encouraged to play their part over the Christmas holiday in helping to reduce transmission of the disease.

“In the interests of patient safety, all visitors, including patients’ relatives, who have had the bug should stay at home and not come to the hospital until they have been free of symptoms for 48 hours.

“This will help to reduce the number of opportunities for norovirus to spread to vulnerable patients and to the staff who care for them.”

General advice for patients who think they have norovirus includes to stay at home, stay hydrated, and wash hands thoroughly and regularly.