Lincolnshire hospital visits stopped due to rise in Covid cases

The restrictions will be at Boston's Pilgrim Hospital as well as hospitals in Lincoln and Grantham

Visitors to Lincolnshire hospitals are being restricted due to a rise in Covid cases, the hospital trust said.

General visiting will be stopped, apart from exceptional circumstances, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust said.

Partners will be allowed in maternity wards and parents of children in paediatric units.

Hospital bosses said they had made the "difficult decision" to protect patients and staff from the continued rise in Covid cases.

The latest government figures show 81 people went to hospital with coronavirus in the county in the week up to 20 March, an increase of 15.7% on the previous seven days.

The trust's director of nursing, Dr Karen Dunderdale, said: "Restricting visiting is one of the measures we are taking to protect our patients and staff as we need to manage the threat level from the high number of cases in our community.

"We know that this decision will be upsetting for those who have loved ones in hospital, but we must prioritise the safety of our patients and staff at this time, and do not take these decisions lightly."

She added that wards would be offering the opportunity for families to talk to relatives via video calls.

The restriction will apply at the trust's hospitals in Lincoln, Boston and Grantham.

Exceptions include visits to terminally ill patients or those with dementia or with specific special needs.