“We continue to ask patients, visitors and staff to follow good hand hygiene practices and to adhere to infection prevention and control measures across all of our facilities.”
12:44, 08 Sep 2026Updated 13:06, 08 Sep 2026
Antrim Area Hospital(Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has issued a statement following a coronavirus outbreak at Antrim Area Hospital.
The Trust said that enhanced infection prevention and control measures were implemented in a small number of clinical areas as a precaution to minimise the risk of transmission.
They also asked visitors who are feeling unwell or experiencing symptoms to avoid visiting friends or relatives in healthcare settings until they are feeling better.
A Northern Health and Social Care Trust spokesperson told Belfast Live: “Many respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, continue to circulate within our communities, and a small number of cases were successfully managed in line with our infection prevention and control processes at Antrim Area Hospital in recent weeks.
“Enhanced infection prevention and control measures were implemented in a small number of clinical areas as a precaution to minimise the risk of transmission, and protect patients, visitors and staff. These measures were effective, and the situation has now been brought to a close.
“We would like to take this opportunity to remind visitors who are feeling unwell or experiencing symptoms of a respiratory infection to take appropriate precautions to help reduce the spread of infection and, where possible, avoid visiting friends or relatives in healthcare settings until they are feeling better.
“We continue to ask patients, visitors and staff to follow good hand hygiene practices and to adhere to infection prevention and control measures across all of our facilities. These measures help us to reduce the risk of transmission and maintain a safe environment for everyone using our services.”
Symptoms and what to do
According to the NHS website, COVID-19 symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu. Most people feel better within a few weeks, but it can take longer to recover.
For some people, it can be a more serious illness and their symptoms can last longer, the NHS says.
Symptoms include:
a high temperature – you may feel hot, cold or shivery, or your skin is hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hoursa loss or change to your sense of smell or tasteshortness of breathfeeling tired or exhaustedan aching bodya headachea sore throata blocked or runny noseloss of appetitediarrhoeafeeling sick or being sick
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