Several hospitals in South Wales have introduced mask-wearing rules amid fears of rising flu cases.
In a move echoing steps taken during the COVID pandemic, Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Cardiff and Vale, Hywel Dda and Aneurin Bevan health boards are all bringing in the restriction.
Citing intelligence from Public Health Wales, Cardiff and Vale health board said flu cases were “likely to peak within the next 10 days” as hospitals are put under pressure by a “quad-demic” of illnesses.
This includes norovirus and three respiratory illnesses; flu, COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
It comes as UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data for England suggests that flu cases are continuing to rise, but RSV numbers may have peaked earlier this month.
Similarly, in Scotland, a surge in flu cases has led to GP consultation rates hitting their highest level during winter in seven years.
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Hospital admissions in the country have also risen by 65% from 705 last week, to 1,163 this week.
‘Face masks must now be worn’
The Aneurin Bevan health board, which covers Newport, Pontypool and Monmouth, said: “We are seeing a rising number of flu cases in our communities and an increase in hospital admissions.
“To help prevent infection, face masks must now be worn upon entering all hospital wards, emergency departments and clinical settings, including our Minor Injury Units (MIU) by all staff, visitors and patients.”
The Hywel Dda health board, which includes Pembroke and Aberystwyth, said that visiting the acute medical assessment unit at the Prince Phillip Hospital in Llanelli was “restricted further” and by arrangement only due to the rising flu cases.
All visitors to the site now have to wear masks.
Ward closures were being implemented by the Cardiff and Vale health board at the University Hospital of Wales and University Hospital Llandough.
The same health board also warned that the flu was likely to “peak within the next 10 days”.
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Cwm Taf Morgannwg, which covers Talbot Green, Tonypandy and Merthyr Tydfil, asked visitors to its emergency departments to wear masks.
The board’s deputy director of nursing Richard Hughes said: “When flu enters and circulates within a hospital it can cause significant problems, posing a real risk to the health of patients and causing absences among our staff, so we need to do everything we can to keep the virus at bay.
“This week we have seen a high number of patients arriving at our busy emergency departments, where the virus can easily and quickly spread.”
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A number of the health boards urged people to get their annual flu vaccination to reduce the spread of the illness.
