Coronavirus: Hospital and care home visits suspended

Hospital visits have been suspended due to concern over rising cases of coronavirus in parts of south Wales.

People will only be allowed to visit a patient receiving end-of-life care, or to support a pregnant woman due to give birth at hospitals in Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT).

Visits to care homes have also been stopped, Bridgend council said.

RCT is currently subject to increased lockdown restrictions and there is increasing concern about nearby areas.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board said it had suspended visits to Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil and the Royal Glamorgan in Llantristant, as well as other units to "protect" patients and staff.

It said Covid-19 cases across its region were "continuing to rise and are a real cause for concern".

Figures from Public Health Wales on Saturday showed Merthyr has 96.1 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 with 88.7 in RCT and 38.8 in Bridgend.

The average for Wales is 25.5 cases per 100,000.

Bridgend council said it and other authorities had suspended visits to care homes.

"The changes will mean that until further notice, friends and family members will no longer be able to see their loved ones in either outdoor visits or indoor visits," it said, in a statement.

"Virtual and online visits will be encouraged, and allowances will be made in circumstances where residents are nearing the end of their lives and with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements in place."