A HOSPITAL in Herefordshire has stopped accepting new patients and is not sending others home in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Bromyard Community Hospital is currently treating a number of patients with coronavirus, but patients are not being admitted, discharged or transferred for the time being.

Wye Valley NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said: "Bromyard Community Hospital is closed to admissions, discharges and transfers.

"Although some discharges are being enabled on a case by case basis where it is safe to do so."

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All patients have been tested, although the trust said it was only a "small number of inpatients" which had tested positive.

A spokesperson for the trust added: "These patients are being cared for in isolation and Covid-19 testing for all inpatients at this hospital has been carried out.

"Patient safety is paramount and the trust has stringent infection prevention and control measures in place to help minimise the transmission of this virus within its hospitals.

"All inpatients are tested for Covid-19 on admission to hospital and cared for in isolation if their test is positive. This testing is also undertaken when patients need to be transferred to care homes or a community hospital.

"Enhanced cleaning and decontamination regimes are in place across the trust and staff are required to wear personal protective equipment when caring for patients and follow hand hygiene practices, in line with Public Health England guidance, to provide the safest possible care to patients."