Seventy beds are still closed at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital following an outbreak of a vomiting and diarrhoea virus.

The hospital says it is working hard to contain the Norwalk virus which has affected the hospital for nearly two weeks.

Patients are being asked to keep their appointments, but visitors have been told to stay away from the hospital unless absolutely necessary.

The Norwalk bug is highly contagious and causes vomiting and stomach upsets but is not life-threatening. It is spread by poor hygiene.

Mike Burton, on-call manager at the hospital, said: "We have to be on our guard.

"The virus is still in the community, but we are doing all we can to contain it."

Relatives warning

More than 30 patients and 50 staff have been hit by the Norwalk virus and a growing number of operations are being postponed.

Mr Burton said people should still come for emergency treatment, or if an appointment has been made.

He said: "The staff are doing a very good job at keeping the lid on it, but it only needs one person with the virus to come into the hospital and the cycle of disease starts all over again."

There have been a number of outbreaks of the virus in the South West this year.

During the worst outbreak, 13 wards at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth were closed.

Torbay Hospital last week reopened one ward that had been affected by the virus, but it has had to stop admissions to three other wards.