SEVEN wards at the Kent and Sussex Hospital at Tunbridge Wells have been closed to new patients following an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust says the hospital is dealing with its first cases of the diarrhoea and vomiting illness with about 30 patients currently suffering symptoms associated with the Norwalk virus.

Earlier this week Dartford's Livingstone Hospital was closed to new admissions after 12 patients contracted the virus and before the Christmas break the Kent and Canterbury Hospital was hit by the bug.

Brenda Greatrex, lead infection control nurse for the Kent and Sussex Hospital, said: "We saw our first cases of patients with diarrhoea and vomiting at Kent and Sussex between Christmas and New Year and are following some strict hygiene procedures to stop the virus from spreading."

The hospital is not admitting new patients on to the affected wards while patients are recovering from illness. The wards are undergoing a special clean, and visitors are being asked to help prevent the spread of infection.

Mrs Greatrex said: "Visitors to the hospital can help us by using the alcohol gel dispensers outside the wards to clean their hands before seeing their loved ones and on leaving wards too."

Visitors are being asked not to sit on patients' beds and not to enter hospital wards if they feel unwell.

Hospitals in Kent, Sussex and Surrey have closed wards to new patients after being hit by a winter vomiting bug.

Eight wards at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, Surrey, have been shut after 51 patients and nine staff were affected by the Norovirus.

In Kent, seven wards at the Kent and Sussex Hospital in Tunbridge Wells have been closed and in Sussex, Crawley Hospital was forced to shut one ward.

Health bosses are urging relatives to delay visits unless they are essential.

Deep cleaning

On Wednesday, four wards at the Kent and Sussex Hospital had closed after the first case was spotted between Christmas and the New Year.

A hospital spokesman said on Thursday that the virus had continued to spread.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has said robust hygiene measures are in place.

On Tuesday, Dartford's Livingstone Hospital was closed to new admissions after 12 patients contracted the virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea.

And the Kent and Canterbury Hospital in Canterbury was affected by the bug before Christmas.

The majority of wards were closed for deep cleaning and about 150 patients and staff were affected in total.

The hospital eventually re-opened on Boxing Day.

Last month, eight cases were also reported at Margate's Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, which introduced limited visiting hours.