Several hospital administrators have threatened to close wards and outpatient clinics and lay off staff members next month if the state does not resume payments soon.

Since they have not been reimbursed for more than $100 million in free medical care, some hospitals have stopped payments to suppliers and are drawing up plans to close wards and lay off employees.

This year the disease seems to be rampant again and already hospitals have had to close wards as they attempt to deal with the disease.

This had an immense impact on the school, "closing wards and tearing down dorms".

Several hospitals have been struggling to balance their books by delaying payments and by readying plans to close wards and lay off workers.

Although the inspectorate has powers to close hospitals, or wards, and has issued threats, no such measures have been used since the visits took place between March and June.

Visitors to Northern Devon hospitals were warned only close relatives should visit patients and Mid Essex Hospital Trust said it had closed wards last weekend because of a similar outbreak.

Many hospitals in the north, south and west of England and in south Wales have already closed wards, unable to accommodate people with bronchial complications, like pneumonia.

B1 Nursing staff shortages are forcing a New Jersey hospital, the Lyons Veterans Affairs Medical Center, to close wards and keep some beds empty.

Because the virus is highly contagious once it is in a hospital, closing wards to reduce the spread is often necessary and we commonly see this measure introduced at this time of the year.