Flu outbreak shuts three hospital wards at Addenbrooke's Hospital

Three wards have been shut and 64 patients are ill following an outbreak of flu at a hospital.

Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge says flu is affecting patients as well as those in public areas and has urged people to stay away.

"The hospital is full and we're struggling to cope. Some patients have had to be diverted to other hospitals.

"We have high numbers of people with flu across the hospital," medical director Dr Jag Ahluwalia said.

"For coughs, colds and flu-like illnesses, people are better off at home, resting and drinking plenty of fluids," Dr Ahluwalia added.

"We need people to stay away from the hospital and ask themselves - do you need to be here?"

Influenza is a virus so cannot be treated with antibiotics and in most cases it will run its course, the hospital said.