A hospital has lifted a ban on visitors despite three more patients showing symptoms of norovirus.

NHS Highland has closed three wards at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, where a total of 50 cases of the winter vomiting bug have now been reported.

Visitors were told to stay away over the weekend in an attempt to contain the highly contagious virus but the ban ended on Monday afternoon.

NHS Highland consultant microbiologist Dr Chin Lim said: "I would like to thank everyone for their co-operation and understanding over the past few days when we restricted all visiting.

"This was to try as much as we possibly could to reduce any further outbreaks of norovirus in the hospital.

“While I am pleased that we have been able to reopen to visiting we know norovirus is still in the community so would ask that visitors are limited to two per patient and that if you, or anyone you live with, has had symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting you refrain from coming into the hospital until you are clear for 72 hours.”

Lead nurse Iona McGauran said: "I would also like to thank the public for their support over the weekend when we suspended visiting. It was not a decision we took lightly and their understanding is appreciated.

“Visiting remains restricted to our affected wards which helps hospital staff protect the health, privacy and dignity of our patients.

“Hospital staff will of course be very happy to talk to visitors on the phone so they can get updates on how their relatives are.”

NHS Highland was forced to close four wards at the Inverness infirmary for a week in April last year after 51 patients caught the virus.