COLCHESTER Hospital bosses were forced to close a section of the facility due to an “infection control issue”.
The Gazette understands patients and families were told to attend hospitals in Clacton and Ipswich upon their arrival yesterday afternoon.
An East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust spokeswoman said: “It affected one clinical area which we had to temporarily close because of an infection control issue.”
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Vincent Donaldson, 65, whose mother was being treated in the hospital, said there were “people with trollies everywhere” as the site began to lock down.
He explained: “There was a continued stream of cars with people getting out, seeing the sign to go to another hospital and then driving off.”
Mr Donaldson said it was “very worrying”.
A number of sources have sugggested to the Gazette the incident was to do with a case of Ebola, but this has not been confirmed by the hospital.
The ESENEFT spokeswoman added: "Thank you to all our patients and staff for their support yesterday afternoon when we had to temporarily close one clinical area at Colchester Hospital, the urgent treatment centre, to new patients.
"This was because of an infection control issue. The centre is now fully open as of 7am this morning."
Dr Meera Chand, director of Clinical and Emerging Infection at the UK Health Security Agency said: “Individuals who have travelled recently and report illness are routinely assessed by NHS clinicians for a variety of infectious diseases.”
More as we get it.
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