Ward One stays closed overnight

NHS SHETLAND has said Ward One of Gilbert Bain Hospital will stay closed for the time to visitors and new patients after Tuesday’s outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea.

The health board said that no new cases of the virus have been reported since two patients came down with it, the first following surgical treatment which could have been linked to the infection.

Infection control measures were stepped up after a second case was reported and access was restricted to the surgical ward, with no new patients being admitted.

A health board spokeswoman said on Wednesday evening that the situation remained under review but the rest of the hospital remains unaffected.

Anyone who is intending to visit Ward One has been asked to contact the ward on 01595 743035 before setting off.

The board said: “Appropriate infection control measures are in place within the ward, the hospital as a whole and for individual patients.

“We have contacted local GPs to make them aware of the situation.”

The hospital has already had to restrict access this year after an outbreak of the norovirus bug earlier this year, which also affected the council-owned Edward Thomason care home.

In January the North Haven care home in Brae also had to restrict access after an outbreak of the bug, which has been widespread throughout Britain.