Overview

• Belford Hospital in Fort William has closed its wards to new admissions due to an ongoing norovirus outbreak.
• Patient visits are restricted to essential cases only, with staff advising on necessary exceptions.
• Norovirus, known as the winter vomiting bug, causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and is highly contagious.
• Local officials, including Councillor Duncan Macpherson, have urged the public to avoid visiting the hospital to curb the spread.
• The outbreak comes during a prolonged period of elevated norovirus cases across the UK, straining NHS resources.