Ward closed to admissions after outbreak among patients and staff

Award at Scotland' s biggest hospital has been closed to new admissions after an outbreak of coronavirus among patients and staff.

Positive cases have been confirmed at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where control measures have been put in place in a bid to stop the virus spreading further.nhs Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) confirmed the closure is a temporary move along with contact tracing taking place and selfisolation of those affected.

The health board said: "We have a number of positive cases in a ward at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and staff are working extremely hard to ensure the appro - priate measures have been implemented to minimise the spread of the virus.

"This includes the tempo - rary closure of the ward to new admissions and other Covid-19 control measures.

"All those affected have been contact traced, screened and are self-isolating.

"All asymptomatic contact patients are being cared for separately from the confirmed cases.

"In the meantime, our staff continue to follow strict infection prevention and control guidelines to ensure we're able to continue treating our patients without putting them at additional risk due to Covid-19."

During yesterday’s daily coronavirus briefing, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed 359 of the 9 61 new cases in the past 24 hours were in the NHSGGC area.

The hospital al soho uses one of the UK'S three sites that was launched earlier this year to rapidly expand testing capacity.

The Glasgow Lighthouse Lab, hosted by the Un iv ersi ty of Glasgow at the hospital campus, officially began C ovid -19 testing in April. Meanwhile, NHS Lothian has confirmed another patient has died at a Western General Hospital ward which was closed to new admissions following an outbreak.

The health board said three further patients had tested positive but could not give total figures as it could reveal identities, although total deaths remain under five.

There have been six members of staff who have been confirmed ash avingCovid -19, all of whom are selfisolating.