Two more patients and two more staff have caught the bug

On Monday, deep cleaning was under way after 89 people fell ill at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury.

Now two more patients and two more staff have the virus, bringing the total to 93, the hospital said.

Nine patients are said to be displaying symptoms at Maidstone Hospital, where tests are under way to see if they have the bug.

The winter vomiting infection, or Norovirus, causes vomiting and diarrhoea.

You can get droplet spread within the ward and you cannot stop people from getting it Dr Mathi Chandrakumar

Elaine Strachan-Hall, director of nursing at the Canterbury hospital, where seven out of 16 wards are affected, said that new patients were still being admitted.

"We have cleared wards that we have deep cleaned, so there is absolutely no risk of infection on those wards.

"We've washed the walls and we've washed every surface."

The Kent Health Protection Agency (KHPA) said it is very difficult to stop the spread of the virus.

Dr Mathi Chandrakumar, of the KHPA, said: "You can get droplet spread within the ward and you cannot stop people from getting it, so containment is the best possible outcome.

"In the case of very elderly, frail or vulnerable people, where actual immunity is lowered for any reason, it can be serious, but usually they recover within about 24 to 48 hours."