ROYAL Berkshire Hospital is still dealing with a serious outbreak of norovirus.

The contagious stomach bug outbreak started in December and the hospital is asking people not to come to hospital if they have the symptoms to ease pressures on services.

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Norovirus symptoms causes diarrhoea and vomiting and can spread to other people.

People who have the symptoms must stay at home for at least 48 hours before coming to the hospital.

This also applies to relatives and friends visiting patients on the wards, anyone who has the symptoms.

A tweet from the hospital trust said the hospital has been forced to limit visitor numbers for the time being, due to the 'continuing pressures' of norovirus.

Norovirus can be very unpleasant, but according the NHS website, it usually goes away in about two days.

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The website also states that norovirus can be caught by:

Close contact with someone with norovirus

Touching surfaces or objects that have the virus on them, then touching your mouth

Eating food that has been prepared or handled by someone with norovirus.

The NHS advise washing hands frequently with soap and water as the best way to stop it spreading.

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Alcohol hand gels do not kill Norovirus.

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said it will continue to update patients and the public over social media and on its website in the coming days.

It also encouraged people who are injured or ill and unsure where to go, to call NHS 111 for clinical advice.