Ninewells Hospital’s only dedicated ward for cancer patients has been closed to new admissions due to sickness and diarrhoea.
A leading cancer specialist at the hospital said patients who needed to be admitted would be treated in other wards until the situation in ward 32 changes.
Professor John Dewar, head of the department of oncology, said norovirus was suspected but not yet confirmed and the ward had been closed to new admissions as a precaution.
”We have acted on the basis of reasonable clinical suspicion,” said Professor Dewar.
He gave an assurance that oncology staff are working in co-operation with other colleagues to ensure the maintenance of safe services.
Asked what impact the closure to new admissions would have on the delivery of services, he said: ”That depends how long it goes on for. We are managing by boarding and using other colleagues’ beds.
”There has been very good co-operation with our colleagues. If cancer patients need to come in to hospital, they will come in and be looked after.”
Prof Dewar said cancer patients attending hospital on a daily basis for chemotherapy are unaffected. They are treated in a separate day area adjacent to ward 32.
Visitors are being asked to stay away from the hospital if they have symptoms.