Covid outbreak at UK hospital as well being belief points ‘management processes’ assertion
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has issued a statement following a Covid outbreak at Antrim Area Hospital in Northern Ireland, with enhanced infection prevention and control measures now successfully implemented
An outbreak of Covid has occurred at a UK hospital (stock)(Image: SimpleImages via Getty Images)
An outbreak of Covid at a UK hospital has sparked a health trust to issue a statement after cases rise. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has released a statement following a coronavirus outbreak at Antrim Area Hospital.
The Trust said that enhanced infection prevention and control measures were already put in place across a small number of clinical areas as a precautionary step to reduce the risk of transmission.
They also urged visitors who are feeling unwell or showing symptoms to stay away from visiting friends or relatives in healthcare settings until they have recovered.
A Northern Health and Social Care Trust spokesperson told Belfast Live : “Many respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, continue to circulate within our communities, and a small number of cases were successfully managed in line with our infection prevention and control processes at Antrim Area Hospital in recent weeks.
The outbreak was reported at the Antrim Area Hospital in Northern Ireland (file)(Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)
“Enhanced infection prevention and control measures were implemented in a small number of clinical areas as a precaution to minimise the risk of transmission, and protect patients, visitors and staff. These measures were effective, and the situation has now been brought to a close.
“We would like to take this opportunity to remind visitors who are feeling unwell or experiencing symptoms of a respiratory infection to take appropriate precautions to help reduce the spread of infection and, where possible, avoid visiting friends or relatives in healthcare settings until they are feeling better.
“We continue to ask patients, visitors and staff to follow good hand hygiene practices and to adhere to infection prevention and control measures across all of our facilities. These measures help us to reduce the risk of transmission and maintain a safe environment for everyone using our services.”
Signs and what to do
According to the NHS website, COVID-19 symptoms are remarkably similar to signs of other ailments, such as colds and flu. Most people feel better within a few weeks, but it can take longer to recover.
For some people, it can be a more serious illness and their symptoms can last longer, the NHS says.
Signs include:
- a high temperature – you may feel hot, cold or shivery, or your skin is hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- shortness of breath
- feeling tired or exhausted
- an aching body
- a headache
- a sore throat
- a blocked or runny nose
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick or being sick
