WARDS closed at a Kent hospital due to an outbreak of sickness and diarrhoea are due to reopen today.

Three wards at Maidstone Hospital have been closed since Monday of last week, after patients were struck down with Norovirus, a winter vomiting bug.

Boxley Unit was the first to be closed and at the beginning of this week two more wards were closed, after tests showed patients had the vomiting bug.

A spokesman for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said: "We now only have a total of six patients showing symptoms and their symptoms are dissipating.

"We expect all wards to fully re-open on Wednesday."

Gail Locock, the trust's infection control lead nurse said staff took immediate action to close wards to new admissions and notify the hospital’s infection control team.

The winter vomiting bug is common at this time of year and can cause illnesses in the community, nursing homes and schools.