Norovirus shuts Bedford and Northwick Park hospital wards
An outbreak of sickness and diarrhoea has closed some wards at hospitals in north-west London and Bedfordshire.
Northwick Park and Bedford hospitals have shut the wards to help stop the spread of the norovirus infection.
Visiting is restricted to one person per patient per day throughout the hospitals and people are advised to telephone before setting off.
People suffering from symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting are advised to stay at home and call their GP.
The symptoms begin about 12 to 48 hours after infection and usually last for 12 to 60 hours.
Director of nursing and patient services at Bedford Hospital Eiri Jones said: "We are doing our utmost to prevent norovirus spreading across the hospital.
"Please help us by observing visiting restrictions, not visiting if it's not essential for you to do so, ensuring you wash your hands with soap and water, not sitting on beds and not coming in if you have been ill yourself."
In South Yorkshire, a number of wards at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital have been closed to new patients because of the norovirus.
And all non-essential visiting has been restricted on two wards at Warwick Hospital because of a suspected outbreak of the virus.