VISITORS are banned from a ward at Worcestershire Royal Hospital after a norovirus outbreak.

Worcestershire Royal Hospital has closed its Acute Respiratory Unit after a visitor displayed sudden norovirus symptoms while on the ward.

Specialised enhanced cleaning has taken place in the affected areas, and the hospital said it is acting accordingly to its Infection Prevention and Control Policy.

Ward visits will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.

READ MORE: Costco set to open near Worcestershire

The hospital has restricted visiting on the ward as a precaution and has requested visitors stay away from the hospital if they or their family members have symptoms.

Symptoms of the norovirus include diarrhoea, vomiting or ‘flu-like’ symptoms across four days.

A spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We have restricted visiting on a ward at Worcestershire Royal Hospital after a visitor displayed sudden norovirus symptoms while on the ward.

READ MORE: Man 'with cocaine stuffed down his underpants' arrested

“All cases of norovirus in our hospitals are managed rigorously in line with our Infection Prevention and Control Policy, and specialised enhanced cleaning of the affected areas of the ward has taken place.

“Norovirus cases can spread fast, so we’ve acted quickly to reduce visiting and request that all visitors stay away from the hospital if they or their family members have had diarrhoea, vomiting or ‘flu-like’ symptoms in the previous four days.

"Visiting to this ward will still be allowed in exceptional circumstances, for example, for a patient at the end of their life.”