THE norovirus has tightened its grip on Cumbria and Lancashire where an ‘above average’ number of cases have been reported.

And with Christmas fast approaching experts are advising those hit by the virus to stay at home to stop it spreading further.

A spokesman for the Health Protection Agency revealed that GPs were dealing with a large number of cases of the winter vomiting bug, which has already caused visiting restrictions to be enforced on hospital wards at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Over 900,000 people around the country have been infected by the bug, which can cause severely upset stomachs for up to five days.

An HPA spokesman said: “There’s a lot of it about in Cumbria and Lancashire. We think some lab reports and GP reports suggest the numbers in these areas are above average for the country.

“We need to get the messages out about people not visiting friends, not going to parties, staying off work. Don’t go to your GP or A&E because you will spread it to others in the waiting room.”

The bug has already caused restrictions on visitors to the RLI, with wards 20, 21, 37, 39 and the Acute Medical Unit all affected.

A spokesperson for the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust said that the situation at the hospital was improving, but it was not doing so as quickly as expected.