An outbreak of the winter vomiting bug has closed a ward at the north-east’s flagship hospital – just weeks after inspectors delivered a damning report on its hygiene standards.
NHS Grampian confirmed last night that two patients being treated in ward 36 at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary had the norovirus.
Seven other patients and seven members of staff are also having tests after showing symptoms.
The health board insisted that levels of cleanliness in the hospital had not been a factor in the outbreak.
A spokesman said: “The norovirus is widely present in communities at this time of year and we suspect it was brought in by a visitor to the ward.
“It is a virus that is quite common, particularly in winter.
“We are continuing to monitor the situation and will take stock on Monday but we are not going to take new patients on that ward until it has been symptom-free for 48 hours.
“The usual control measures are in place, including increased hand washing, bleach washing all flat surfaces, where feasible keeping infected patients together and asking visitors not to visit when they or their immediate family is unwell.”
The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate examined wards at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on October 13 and raised concerns that basic infection control theory was not being applied in practice at the hospital.
Dirty toilet seats, stained shower trays, spillages on walls and dusty wards were just some of the failings uncovered by inspectors.
Last night, a leading bacteriologist who warned that the hospital’s poor standard of cleanliness could lead to a surge in potentially deadly illnesses said questions had to be asked about the norovirus outbreak.
Aberdeen University-based Professor Hugh Pennington said: “We know that it’s a very tough virus and is quite difficult to get rid of, even with the most rigorous standards of cleanliness.
“There has been a lot of norovirus in Grampian recently and whether that is connected with their deficiencies it’s impossible for me to say, but there is a case they have to answer on that one.”
The medical advice for people with the virus is to stay off work until they have been symptom-free for 48 hours and to be particularly thorough with hand washing.