Third ward reopens at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness after norovirus outbreak
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A THIRD ward at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness has reopened to admissions and visitors after being closed for more than two weeks due to norovirus.
Ward 5C reopened yesterday afternoon following a deep clean. Two other wards 6C and 7A reopened last week after previously being affected by diarrhoea and vomiting.
NHS Highland's head of acute services Katherine Sutton praised staff across the hospital for all their hard work during the outbreak.
"It's never an easy decision to make when we ask visitors to stay away but doing this not only helped protect the privacy and dignity of our patients but also kept the virus as contained as possible," she said.
Although the restriction on visiting has been lifted, she said the health authority continued to ask that visiting be kept to a minimum to help prevent the spread of norovirus across the hospital.
"We know that norovirus is still active in the community and we would ask that if you, or someone you live with, has had symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting you refrain from coming to the hospital until clear for 72 hours," she said.
NHS Highland is also appealing to the community to help prevent the spread of flu by avoiding visiting any hospitals if they have any respiratory symptoms.
Related article: Ward at hospital in Inverness reopens but one ward remains closed due to norovirus
