Seventeen hospital wards close due to coronavirus outbreaks

Seventeen wards across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have closed as patients are treated for coronavirus.

More than 600 patients are currently in hospitals in the health board area who have tested positive for the virus – more than at the height of the pandemic earlier in 2020.

The health board says staff are ensuring emergency, trauma and cancer surgery can continue as normal, while also maintaining a programme of some elective surgery.

All other wards are open to new admissions.

Dr Scott Davidson, Deputy Medical Director for Acute Services at NHSGGC, said: “The numbers of Covid cases are continuing to rise. We currently have more people in our hospitals with Covid than we did at the height of the pandemic earlier this year.

“It is absolutely critical the public follows the guidelines so that our extremely hardworking staff are able to continue treating all of our patients.

“We understand that it is a difficult time for everyone, but we would like to ask members of the public to please consider how you use health services at this critical time.

“Our staff are working really hard to provide critical care to our patients, but we need the public’s help to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Everyone can play their part, by minimising footfall at hospitals, only coming to emergency departments in an emergency, attending appointments alone, unless support is needed and using other community services that are available.”