Critical incident declared after 'unseasonably high' norovirus outbreak at Addenbrooke's Hospital

A hospital emergency department was forced to declare a critical incident after an "unseasonably high" outbreak of norovirus led to overcrowding.

At a meeting this week, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), which runs Addenbrooke's Hospital, said it had been forced to close over 100 hospital beds across multiple wards due to the outbreak.

The number of cases has now subsided after the situation "significantly improved", but the outbreak had led to a critical incident being declared in the hospital's emergency department.

Roland Sinker, chief executive at CUH, told a Board of Directors meeting that the outbreak reflected the “unseasonably high peak in cases of norovirus in the community”.

Neurologist Dr Amanda Cox said four of the hospital's wards had to be closed and there were daily infection management meetings for staff.

“I am very pleased to report that it has very much subsided", Ms Cox said.

"There are still a number of norovirus cases in one ward, but it has very significantly improved and hopefully we will see an ongoing more stable position over the coming weeks.”

Norovirus is a stomach bug which causes vomiting and diarrhoea and usually goes away within a couple of days.

It is also known as the "winter vomiting bug".

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