Baby struck by norovirus at L&D

Eighteen-month-old Evie Philpott went to the L&D for treatment for a different bug and returned home fully recovered last Thursday.

However, by Saturday she was sick again and when her parents took her back to the L&D they were told she had caught norovirus.

Grandmother Linda Philpott, from Wigmore, said: “It’s a very worrying time, she is really very ill. She is being fed by a tube down her throat. The virus is spreading and it’s all down to people not washing their hands after they’ve been to the toilet. People need to be made aware of the risks.”

All visitors apart from those where the patient is critically ill, for example in the Intensive Care Unit, are currently banned from the L&D and five wards are closed to new admissions.

Mrs Philpott said: “I haven’t been able to visit Evie but my son and his wife are there. She is in their arms, she is so poorly.”

There are several cases of norovirus in the hospital, and the five wards affected are elderly and medical wards.

An L&D spokesperson said: “The L&D has several cases of winter vomiting disease (norovirus). In order to protect our patients, and members of the public, we are closing hospital wards to all visitors (with some exceptions). Additionally we are asking the public only to come to A&E if it is a real emergency, and if people do need to come please don’t bring the whole family -– just one person to accompany the patient.

“These measures are necessary to protect our patients and the public from the highly contagious norovirus which causes projectile vomiting and uncontrollable diarrhoea.”

The ban on visitors was expected to last 48 hours two days ago, but it continues.

For advice call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.