More than 80 people are now affected by the outbreak of a highly contagious virus at two Somerset hospitals.

About 60 patients and 20 staff at Yeovil District Hospital are showing symptoms of the airborne Norwalk virus which causes sickness and diarrhoea.

Martin Carter from the Dorset and Somerset Health Authority said the virus has also spread to Verrington Community Hospital in Wincanton.

Seven patients and two staff are thought to have been infected there.

Outbreak origins

Mr Cater said the outbreak began last week and had spread to Verrington through two patients who were transferred there from Yeovil.

"They were not showing signs of the virus when they were discharged from Yeovil but when they arrived at the community hospital they developed the symptoms," he said.

The hospital in Yeovil is closed to non-emergency patients but is still treating emergency admissions.

"We are satisfied that everything it is possible to do to prevent the spread is being done," said Mr Carter.