Dunedin Hospital has closed its doors to visitors as health officials scramble to contain a suspected norovirus outbreak.
The move extends an earlier restriction on visitors which required all people arriving at the hospital to the patient inquiries desk in the main foyer to find out whether they can visit the wards or make deliveries.
An Otago District Health Board statement released this afternoon said visitors would have to prove "exceptional circumstances" to be allowed to visit patients.
The restriction would be in place until further notice to help contain an outbreak of contagious vomiting and diarrohea.
"We have had six more patients fall ill with suspected Norovirus since yesterday in six wards. We have also had four more staff fall ill. Two wards are closed to new admissions," the statement said..
"We have taken the difficult decision to temporarily stop visitors from coming into the hospital except in exceptional circumstances because the illness is spread throughout our community and we can not have people bringing it into the hospital.
"We want to protect our patients from this illness, because they are already unwell, otherwise they would not be in hospital. We also want to protect our staff - we need them to care for our patients."
If family and friends of patients have questions, they can call the hospital on 474 0999.
