Norovirus outbreak declared over

Walsall Manor Hospital has declared the recent Norovirus outbreak officially over.

All wards are now open as normal and the visiting restrictions to all wards have been lifted.

During the outbreak there were a total of 61 symptomatic patients affected by the outbreak of the virus. A temporary measure to close all wards to visitors was put in place to contain the virus on the wards that were affected and to protect the health of all our patients, their relatives, carers and their friends.

Michael Scott, Interim Chief Executive at Walsall Manor Hospital said: “The early action we took to close the hospital to all visitors to patients enabled us to contain the spread of the infection to just a few wards.
“I would like to once again offer my thanks to the public for their support and patience whilst the visiting restrictions were in place.”

Norovirus is currently spreading through the local community so to prevent the virus from being re-introduced to hospital wards, the Manor is urging any visitors to patients on any of the hospital wards, to stay away for at least 48 hours if they are, or have been, recently affected by vomiting and diarrhoea. If members of the public have been with a friend or family member who has shown either of these symptoms (vomiting and diarrhoea), the hospital is requesting that visitors do not come into hospital and stay away from others as much as possible.