Visitors are urged not to visit loved ones in hospital as cases of norovirus and flu surge.

Visitors with highly symptoms of highly infectious norovirus and flu are advised to protect patients by staying away from wards to avoid infecting them.

Flu and norovirus continue to put pressure on hospitals in the South West, with the numbers of patients and beds rising again last week.

For the past week an average of 262 people a day were in hospital in the regional with flu, some in critical care, compared to 252 the week before.

An average of 136 beds a day were closed to admissions because of norovirus or similar symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting, compared to 129 the week before

While flu cases in the community are dropping slightly, the UK Health Security Agency warns that norovirus continues to surge, with cases 47% higher in the first two weeks of the year than at the same time in 2025.

NHS England’s South West Medical Director, Dr Trevor Smith, said: “Norovirus and similar stomach bugs can be a real threat to hospital patients, so please don’t go in to visit your loved ones when you’ve had diarrhoea or vomiting in the past 48 hours. You might end up giving them more than they’d bargained for.

“It’s simple things like this that can help keep our hospitals working well, at a time when large numbers of patients are coming through the door with serious illnesses and injuries.”

There is more information here on how people can help while the NHS is under pressure this winter.

Meanwhile, Derriford Hospital has warned its emergency department (ED) is under extreme pressure.

Patients are advised if they have an urgent medical problem that isn’t an emergency, to contact NHS 111 first by phone or online.

However, ED should still be used for life-threatening emergencies.

Alternatives for injuries which are not life-threatening, but need urgent treatment include the urgent treatment centres in the Dartmoor Building and at the Cumberland Centre in Devonport.