HEALTH bosses in the town have issued a public warning in a bid to prevent the spread of norovirus.

People are being asked to stay at home if they are suffering from sickness or diarrhoea so as not to increase the chances of the disease spreading in offices or schools.

NHS Swindon is also advising visitors to stay away from hospitals and care homes if they have symptoms of the winter sickness bug.

Parents are being asked not to send children who are ill to school, nursery or playgroup.

Senior infection control nurse Sharon Pells said: “Norovirus is often brought into hospital by visitors so it is extremely important that everybody does their bit in helping to reduce the spread of infections.

“It’s not unusual to restrict visiting to wards to prevent further spread. We are grateful for visitors’ co-operation and understanding when we have to do this.”

Norovirus is highly infectious and can last between 12 hours to three days.

In January last year, five wards at the Great Western Hospital were closed after an outbreak of the norovirus bug and three more were shut in March because of the disease.

Norovirus infects between 600,000 and one million people in the UK each year. Last month, seven schools in Swindon were forced to close after a high number of pupils contracted the influenza B flu virus or picked up what is thought to have been norovirus.

Churchfields, Grange Junior School, Colebrook Junior School, Colebrook Infants School, Seven Fields Primary School, Catherine Wayte School and East Wichel Primary School were all closed after pupils and teachers started feeling unwell.

Anyone suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea should stay indoors and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

NHS Direct can be contacted around the clock on 0845 4647 or online at www. nhsdirect.nhs.