Pirate FM has learnt four wards at the Royal Cornwall hospital are shut because of a sickness bug.

Visitors are being told to stay away from Treliske or ring the wards first, in a bid to stop Norovirus from spreading.

Bosses at the Royal Cornwall say outpatient appointments and surgery are still going ahead, but anyone who has had symptoms of diarrhoea and/or vomiting or has been in contact with anyone with these symptoms, should avoid visiting any hospital until at least 48 hours after their symptoms have gone.

Joint Director for Infection Prevention and Control, Louise Dickinson, said, "Although the increase in Norovirus is later in the year than we would normally expect, it's not unusual to see higher levels in the community after a holiday period when people tend to do more socialising and travelling around. It is important for us to respond quickly when it is brought into our hospitals to minimise any disruption and we hope visitors will support our request for them to stay away unless there are exceptional circumstances".

She added, "Norovirus is generally mild and people usually recover fully within 2-3 days; there are no long term effects that result from being infected. Good hygiene is important in preventing others from becoming infected and this includes thorough hand washing using soap and warm water, as alcohol hand gels will not kill the virus".

You can find a symptom checker with advice about what to do if you go down with it here.