A vomiting and diarrhea bug has hit two Northern Ireland hospitals and one of the hospitals has closed down a ward following this.

No new admissions are being made at an elderly ward at the Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry and heightened infection controls have been brought in.

Vomiting and diarrhea also hit some people at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital and this led to the closure as well.

At the RVH there have been no wards closed down but there is a restriction for visitors, however.

Hospitals at this time are already under the strain in the province and the outbreak too has taken place.

In Derry also visitors who are feeling unwell have been told not to come visiting to the wards.

The Western Health and Social Care Trust, which closed the ward on Friday asked for co-operation from the public through a statement.

Closure of the wards was confirmed last night by a spokeswoman.

The situation was being closely monitored by the trust's Infection Prevention and Control team and many measures to control the infection were already in place.

Western Trust Chief Executive, Elaine Way, said, “Diarrhoea and vomiting is easily spread in closed environments and the decision was taken to close one ward to admissions as part of infection control measures.”