More than 70 hospital wards around the UK have closed their doors to new patients to avoid the spread of a vomiting bug that has struck down hundreds of thousands of people.
Medical experts are trying to prevent the bug from passing to patients from visitors, as it is estimated that around 100,000 people per week are catching the norovirus bug.
Five wards at Victoria Infirmary in Glasgow have been shut to new patients, as well as 15 in Greater Manchester.
"Taking action early in an outbreak by closing a ward to new admissions can help control outbreaks," a Health Protection Agency (HPA) spokeswoman said.
"A study by the HPA has shown that outbreaks of norovirus are shortened when control measures at healthcare settings are implemented quickly, such as closing wards to new admissions within four days of the beginning of the outbreak and implementing strict hygiene measures," she added.
Levels of norovirus - symptoms of which include sudden vomiting and diarrhoea - are higher this year than they have been for the past five years.
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