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Medical staff wearing face masks walk along a corridor at King’s College Hospital, in south east London.(Image: Victoria Jones\/PA Wire)<\/p>\nIt follows guidance from NHS EnglandMedical staff wearing face masks walk along a corridor at King’s College Hospital, in south east London.(Image: Victoria Jones\/PA Wire)<\/p>\n
Patients and visitors to NHS hospitals in some parts of the UK are being urged to wear face masks in specified areas following a steep rise in winter illnesses.<\/p>\n
Some hospitals in the West Midlands and in Wales have asked patients to wear masks in certain settings. It comes as cases of Covid have been rising in recent weeks.<\/p>\n
Nearly 90 per cent of all Covid cases recorded in England are now linked to two new variants: NB.1.8.1 and XFG, nicknamed ‘Nimbus’ and ‘Stratus’, respectively.<\/p>\n
The latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency show that Covid cases jumped by 22 per cent in the week before September 24, climbing from 2,012 to 2,459, while hospital admissions have risen<\/a> by 60 per cent in a month.<\/p>\n From Wednesday, October 8, two hospitals in the West Midlands are reintroducing compulsory masks in certain departments in response to a growing number of Covid-19<\/a> cases.<\/p>\n The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust said the measure would apply to parts of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.<\/p>\n Face masks will be provided to visitors at both sites and the trust has asked people not to visit if they are suffering from any infection, such as a cold, flu, sore throat, diarrhoea, vomiting or a chest infection.<\/p>\n The trust said it was taking the precautions after receiving advice from NHS <\/a>England.<\/p>\n The areas where face masks must be worn at all times are:<\/p>\n The trust added that people who feel they are exempt must discuss this with a member of staff. It also said if people feel unwell, but have a hospital appointment, they should contact the relevant department for advice.<\/p>\n Asked whether the mask requirement would be rolled out to more trusts in other areas of the country, a spokesperson for NHS<\/a> England told the Manchester Evening News: “It is up to individual trusts to decide on mask wearing.”<\/p>\n A Welsh<\/a> health board has also issued new face mask rules for staff, patients and visitors across its hospital sites.<\/p>\n\n