Worcestershire Royal Hospital norovirus outbreak shuts beds
A third of beds in a Worcestershire hospital have been closed to admissions after an outbreak of norovirus, according to the health trust.
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said all non-urgent operations were being postponed at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
The trust said the outbreak was putting "extreme pressure on the system".
Eight wards are now partially or fully closed, according to the trust.
Penny Venables, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The situation is escalating and we are now having to increase the measures we are putting in place to ensure that the situation doesn't worsen."
The trust said it had taken the "unusual step" of asking all visitors to avoid coming to the 600-bed hospital.
Ambulances are being diverted to other hospitals and GPs are being asked to manage people outside of hospital wherever possible, the trust said.