A ward for elderly people at a Norfolk hospital has been closed to new admissions following an outbreak of norovirus.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn is appealing to visitors not to put their loved one's health at risk by visiting after experiencing symptoms of norovirus.

Norovirus is a food borne infection which can be easily combatted by simple measures such as hand washing.

As increasing levels of norovirus have been seen in the community, the hospital is putting in place a number of measures to protect patients.

People who have experienced diarrhoea and / or sickness are asked to stay away from the hospital for 72 hours and all visitors are now asked to report to the nurse in charge of a department or service before seeing a patient. The hospital also asks that children under the age of 12 do not visit and that any visitors wash their hands with soap and water before entering any clinical areas.