ACAMPAIGN has been launched to stop hospital visitors taking bugs on to wards and wreaking havoc during busy winter periods.

Every year, several wards in East Lancashire hospitals have to be closed because of an airborne sickness and diarrhoea virus known as Norwalk, which is traced back to visitors.

Hospital chiefs are pleading with people suffering from the virus to stay away at visiting time until at least 48 hours after they have recovered.

The message also applies to people with flu, sore throats and other illnesses common at this time of year.

Last winter, between November and February, there were three outbreaks at Blackburn Royal Infirmary and Queen's Park Hospital in Blackburn, the worst of which lasted two weeks and saw 15 patients affected at its peak.

During the same period, ten wards at Burnley General Hospital suffered outbreaks with some closing to new admissions for up to 13 days.

Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority has launched a region-wide poster campaign to get the message across.

The Health Protection Agency's North West laboratory estimated 20,000 bed days were lost to the NHS through the Norwalk virus alone last year.

Posters will be displayed in hospitals and doctors' surgeries across Lancashire.

They will also urge sick people keep away from nursing and rest homes, also badly affected last winter.

Dr Steven Gee, consultant in communicable disease control for Lancashire and Cumbria Health Protection Agency, said: "Although the Norwalk virus is short-lived and unpleasant, it can wreak havoc in hospitals.

"It can mean cancelled services and longer waiting lists for patients.

"We would urge anyone who is suffering from an infection not to take it into hospitals or nursing homes where there are many vulnerable patients.

"Many of the outbreaks that devastated hospitals last year were traced to visitors and they can lead to wards being closed to admissions.

"It means that patients who were due to be discharged become too ill to be moved, those awaiting operations who contract Norwalk virus have their treatments put back until they recover, and affected wards are closed to new admissions.

"There is a simple rule - if in doubt -don't visit!"