Covid: Non-urgent Hull A&E visits pose risk to 'seriously ill'

Health bosses in Hull have urged patients with non-urgent conditions to stay away from A&E departments

Health bosses are warning people not to visit A&E departments in Hull unless absolutely necessary.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said seriously ill patients were being put at increased risk of Covid due to people attending when it was not necessary.

The trust is urging non-urgent cases to use the 111 service instead.

A rise in community infections across the region meant there was an increased risk of exposure, officials said.

Posting on social media, the trust, which runs Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill, said: "Community rates are rising again but so is the number of people attending A&E.

"Coming... when it's not urgent risks exposing some seriously ill people to coronavirus unnecessarily and diverts our specialists from those most in need."

In June the trust launched an appeal asking those attending A&E to come alone to make social distancing easier.

It also issued a similar plea over non-urgent visits after seeing people attend with unnecessary conditions, such as verrucas.

• LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?

• YOUR QUESTIONS: We answer your queries

• GLOBAL SPREAD: How many worldwide cases are there?

• THE R NUMBER: What it means and why it matters

• VACCINE: How close are we to finding one?