People suffering from symptoms of Norovirus are being asked to stay away from hospital.

Cases of the highly-contagious winter vomiting bug are at a height this time of year, with vulnerable hospital patients potentially most at risk.

People are being asked to contact their GP if they show signs of the virus and leave two days after the symptoms have ended before visiting a hospital.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust (BHRUT) medical director, Stephen Burgess, said: “Norovirus is one of the most infectious agents that we face in the NHS, and it causes significant disruption to the services hospitals can provide.

 “I am hoping that the public will get behind us and stop more cases coming on to the wards.

“Helping us to defeat the winter vomiting virus and preventing outbreaks will mean that we will have more hospital beds available to care for patients.”