Borders General Hospital asks the public to co-operate with weekend visiting advice

Norovirus is prevalent across Scotland and the current outbreak of norovirus at the Borders General Hospital continues to affect wards.

The Department of Medicine for the Elderly (DME) is currently closed to admissions and two bays in Ward 4 are also closed due to the confirmed presence of norovirus.

In addition, two bays at Haylodge Hospital in Peebles are closed due to patients experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms.

The situation is being managed by NHS Borders Infection Prevention and Control Team with support from frontline colleagues.

Evelyn Rodger, NHS Borders Director of Nursing and Midwifery said: "In order to safeguard vulnerable patients and enable us to limit the spread of this highly infectious virus, members of the public are being asked not to visit relatives and friends at the BGH this weekend unless absolutely necessary.

"The hospital can be very busy at the weekends with visitors. In order to control the spread of Norovirus we urge the public to comply with our request and to stay away from the hospital. The D&V illness is usually over within 48 hours, but is highly infectious, which is why NHS Borders needs to limit the number of people moving in and out of the hospital. The last time we issues a request of this nature the co-operation from the public was incredibly helpful, and we would be most grateful once again for people to take our advice and please stay away."

If visiting this weekend is absolutely necessary, visits should be limited to two visitors per patient at any one time and visits with children are actively discouraged.

For further updates please visit www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk