TWO wards at a Glasgow hospital have been closed to new admission with health bosses urging the public to follow Covid-19 rules.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde chiefs confirmed the Royal Infirmary decision amid an increase in cases of the virus in the city.
The Castle Street hub, which has been affected by its own outbreaks of coronavirus in recent weeks, remains open only to "essential visitors".
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A spokesman for the health board said: "Following a number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI), the Board’s Director of Public Health has issued a plea to the public to follow the rules set out by the Scottish Government to help support the NHS in its response to the pandemic.
"As a result of a recent increase in cases, two wards at GRI are currently shut to new admissions.
"NHSGGC staff continue to work extremely hard to look after COVID-19 patients. There are robust mechanisms and measures in place to help manage and treat COVID and non COVID patients during the pandemic, and while much has been learned during the pandemic, COVID-19 remains a highly contagious and dangerous virus."
Dr Linda De Caestecker, director of Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said:"Unfortunately, cases are rising within Greater Glasgow and Clyde, as they are across the UK.
"While we are in a stronger position now than in March due to an increased understanding of the virus, as overall numbers increase, so too does the number of hospital admissions with COVID-19 and sadly, as do the numbers of deaths.
"It is a true testament to our hard working and professional staff that to this point we have been able to continue delivering high-quality care to patients despite the pandemic.
"However, it’s absolutely critical that the public follows the guidelines laid out by the Scottish Government to support our frontline workers in being able to continue delivering this level of care and to manage the number of COVID-19 cases in hospital.
"This will give our hardworking staff the capacity to continue treating patients, and in the long-run, to save more lives, so we would please ask the public to remember the FACTS – Wear a face covering, avoid crowded places, clean your hands frequently, maintain a two-metre distance, self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms.”
Angela O’Neill, Deputy Director of Nursing at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, added: "It is an extremely difficult time for family and friends of patients during this time, as visiting is restricted to essential visiting only.
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"However, despite the increase in case numbers, we want to provide reassurance that all of our teams are working extremely hard to ensure people are able to continue to see their loved ones.
"We understand how important this is for our patients and their families, and we have the appropriate measures in place to keep people safe when they are at our hospitals."
More than 530 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Greater Glasgtow in the latest figures.
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