Coronavirus cluster detected in another ward at Craigavon hospital

The outbreaks have prompted hospital authorities to suspend visiting for at least seven days in all but end-of-life circumstances.

The Southern Trust said a new cluster had been detected in one of the Co Armagh hospital’s main wards, Ward 3 South, with one patient and one staff member testing positive overnight on Monday.

Eleven ward staff are self isolating.

The Haematology Ward and Emergency Department had already been tackling outbreaks.

A total of 14 patients treated in the Haematology Ward have tested positive.

Sixteen members of staff on the ward have also tested positive and are off work and self-isolating.

An ongoing tracing process has identified 40 other staff members as potential contacts. They are also self-isolating.

The ward remains closed to new admissions.

Last week, the Southern Trust said three staff members in the Emergency Department had tested positive for Covid-19, with 21 additional staff self-isolating as a precaution.

On Tuesday, the trust said no further cases had been identified and the situation in the ED was “returning to normal”.

Visiting at the hospital will be suspended from Wednesday. The trust said the suspension would be reviewed after seven days.

“The trust’s priority is to limit the number of people in the hospital while Covid-19 continues to circulate in the community,” the trust said in a statement.

“We understand that visiting is important to our patients and clients and will reintroduce 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.”