Full visiting reinstated at Countess of Chester Hospital following Norovirus cases

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has reopened visiting to all wards at the Countess of Chester Hospital after nearly two weeks of restrictions.

The hospital recently paused visiting to most wards to help it tackle a rising number of patients testing positive for norovirus – a highly contagious virus.

Sue Pemberton, Director of Nursing and Quality and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, said: 

“We’re really pleased to be able to reopen visiting to all our wards. We’ve reopened visiting as soon as it was safe to do so because we know how important it is for our patients and their loved ones to see each other and have face-to-face contact.

“Pausing visiting was a not a decision that we took lightly but our absolute priority was to protect our patients and minimise the risk of norovirus spreading to other vulnerable people in our hospitals and that’s what we’ve been able to achieve.”

Norovirus, commonly known as the “winter vomiting bug,” causes symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting but typically resolves within a few days.

Norovirus is a seasonal illness that can usually be treated at home. Please be aware that it norovirus can spread in non-symptomatic people and that it continues to circulate in local communities.

Help prevent the spread of infections such as norovirus by:

• staying at home if you feel unwell
• washing your hands regularly
• using tissues to catch coughs and sneezes.

Find more about norovirus and how to prevent the spread: 

http://nhs.uk/norovirus