Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust asked people not to attend hospital unless they have an urgent client need due to increased numbers of people with the diarrhoea and vomiting bug.

Ed Cetti, chief medical officer for Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said: ‘We have stepped up our infection control measures across the site which includes temporarily restricting visits to affected wards, except in exceptional circumstances, and limiting visitors in other areas to one per patient per day. We haven't taken this decision lightly and we will keep this under close review as we know how important visitors are to those recovering in hospital.'

NHSE said earlier this week that winter viruses were finally on the decline at a national level.

In the week ending 16 March, there were 899 hospital patients with norovirus – down from the winter peak of 1,160 seen in mid-February. Cases remained around a third higher compared to the same period last year, however, which recorded 680 cases.

Norovirus cases have hit record levels in hospitals this winter with 40,000 beds days lost in February alone.