Vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak at Dr Gray's Hospital spreads forcing five wards to close

An outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea among patients and staff has spread forcing five wards to close at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.

NHS Grampian announced on Sunday that it had closed wards five, six and seven to new admissions after more than 50 people were affected by the outbreak.

Ward eight and the Acute Medical Assessment Unit have now also been closed while non-essential visiting has been suspended across the hospital as cases continue to rise.

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An outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea among patients and staff has spread forcing five wards to close at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin. #stvnews #scotland #nhsgrampian
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An incident management team has been set up to manage the outbreak which comes after the health board declared a critical incident due to “extreme pressure” on services.

Ambulance patients not requiring life-saving treatment were taken to hospitals outside the area on Thursday, and elective procedures were postponed.

A spokesperson for NHS Grampian said: “We know this is difficult for both patients and relatives and we thank them for their understanding.”

“An incident management team has been set up to specifically manage the outbreak; in addition, there are tactical and strategic groups meeting to deal with the impact on services of closed wards and staff absence.

“Illnesses such as this are circulating widely in the community. Though unpleasant, most people make a full recovery in 24-48 hours. We would encourage anyone experiencing diarrhoea and/or vomiting to stay at home and only return to work once they have been free of symptoms for 48 hours.

“They should rearrange medical appointments and should not visit anyone in hospital or a care home until recovered. There is further health advice on the NHS Inform website.”