All visiting suspended at Craigavon Hospital as another COVID-19 cluster confirmed.

The Southern Health Trust said that visiting would be temporarily suspended after a member of staff and a patient tested positive on one of the main hospital wards.

As well as a member of staff and a patient testing positive in Ward 3 South, 11 members of staff are now self-isolating.

It follows an outbreak of COVID cases initially over a week ago in the Emergency Department which the Trust said is ‘returning to normal with no further cases identified’.

In the Haematology Ward, a total of 14 patients have tested positive. Sixteen members of staff have tested positive and are currently off and self-isolating.

A spokesperson said: “Contacts of these staff members are being identified and isolating as a precaution, So far, 40 staff members have been identified as potential contacts and are currently self-isolating.”

The Trust said a detailed investigation is on-going and the ward remains closed to new admissions.

The Trust added that another cluster has been confirmed overnight at Ward 3 South.

A spokesperson said: “A cluster has been confirmed overnight in Ward 3 South. One member of staff and one patient have tested positive. There are currently 11 staff members self -isolating.”

The Trust said that all visiting to the hospital site has been temporarily suspended from tomorrow Wednesday September 2.

A spokesperson said; “To minimise the number of people coming on to the Craigavon site, all visiting will be temporarily suspended from Wednesday September 2. This will be reviewed after 7 days.

“The Trust’s priority is to limit the number of people in the hospital while COVID19 continues to circulate in the community. We understand that visiting is important to our patients and clients and will re-introduce visiting as soon as it is safe to do so.

“Visiting is only for end of life care and must be arranged with the Ward Manager, Virtual visiting is available on request by contacting 077 7651 6419 between 9am and 5pm.”

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