Two wards at West Suffolk Hospital have been closed after an outbreak of norovirus.

Wards G3 and G5 at the Bury St Edmunds hospital have shut to new admissions after 21 patients showed symptoms of the highly contagious diarrhoea and vomiting virus in the last week.

The wards closed to new admissions on Saturday. Anyone visiting has been urged to take extra care to wash their hands with soap and water on arrival and departure. Anyone who shows ay symptoms of infection is asked to stay away from the hospital.

Nichole Day, executive chief nurse at West Suffolk Hospital, said: ''Norovirus is very infectious and every year there are cases in the community which transfer to the hospital. Because the virus has an incubation period of several days, people are often unaware that they are carrying it until after they have passed it on.

'We would advise anyone who has had diarrhoea or vomiting to stay away from the hospital for at least 72 hours after they have recovered, even if they feel better. Otherwise they run the risk of unknowingly passing the highly contagious illness on to someone who is already sick.

'Anyone who visits the hospital should be vigilant and take care to clean their hands. If they are visiting the affected ward, they should use soap and water when they arrive and before they leave as the alcohol gel is not effective against this virus.'