Harrogate Hospital boss insists services will 'continue to run as usual' despite treatment of first coronavirus patient

Harrogate health officials have reassured patients that normal services are continuing at the hospital following the announcement that a first patient has tested positive for coronavirus.
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An official statement was released by the hospital on Sunday afternoon confirming that a patient had tested positive for Covid-19, the first confirmed case in Harrogate.

The hospital, which has set up a number of NHS 111 pods outside the front entrance of the building, says it is taking all necessary precautions to treat the patient with a 'highly skilled' team in ensuring they are cared for.

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Harrogate Hospital has announced it is treating a patient who has tested positive for coronavirus.Harrogate Hospital has announced it is treating a patient who has tested positive for coronavirus.
Harrogate Hospital has announced it is treating a patient who has tested positive for coronavirus.

Robert Harrison, Chief Operating Officer at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, also stressed that normal hospital services were unaffected, despite the obvious nature of needing to keep the patient in question isolated.

“We can confirm that we are currently caring for a patient who has tested positive for the COVID-19 infection," he said ."They are being very safely cared for by our highly skilled team at Harrogate District Hospital and all of the appropriate protection measures are in place.

“As always, our prime concern is to respect patient confidentiality at all times and we would ask the media to do the same.

“Services continue to run as usual across the hospital.”

The NHS 111 pods which are situated outside of the Harrogate Hospital front entrance.The NHS 111 pods which are situated outside of the Harrogate Hospital front entrance.
The NHS 111 pods which are situated outside of the Harrogate Hospital front entrance.
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With more than 1,100 people now infected across the UK and the number of fatalities reaching 35, the Government has already stressed that many more will suffer from the impact of coronavirus as it continues to spread across the world. Reports from Italy stated there were 368 deaths from the virus yesterday alone.

The UKs fight against coronavirus is expected to escalate in the coming days with Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirming that elderly people will be asked to self-isolate for up to four months as part of the plan to tackle the virus.

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Health bosses at Harrogate Hospital, meanwhile, have asked that people continue to follow the advice and guidelines from both the government experts and Public Health England as they look to limit the Covid-19 spread.

The government and NHS have launched an awareness campaign which emphasises the importance of washing hands regularly for 20 seconds to prevent the spread of infection.

A poster for the awareness campaign said hands should be regularly washed with soap and water or hand sanitiser when arriving home or into work; when blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing, or when eating or handling food.

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For more information on the NHS and government’s coronavirus action plan and official advice to prevent the spread of infection, visit: nhs.uk/coronavirus to find out more.

The ‘coronavirus pods’ outside Harrogate District Hospital A&E are the NHS’s 111 pods, where people may be directed if they present with symptoms. They are not a drop-in facility or self-referral service - anyone who thinks they may have symptoms must use 111, and avoid coming to hospital.

NHS guidance for reducing the risk of infection includes not touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean, and putting used tissues in the bin straight away and washing hands afterwards.

Members of the public have been warned that a continuous cough and a high temperature are key symptoms of novel strain of coronavirus Covid-19.

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According to Public Health England, members of the public should self-isolate for seven days if they have a new and continuous cough or a high temperature on or above 37.8C (100F).

It is recommended that anyone suffering with either symptoms take the following steps:

- Do not leave your home for 7 days from when your symptoms started. This action will help protect others in your community while you are infectious;

- Plan ahead and ask others for help to ensure that you can successfully stay at home;

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- Ask your employer, friends and family to help you get the things you need to stay at home;

- Stay at least 2 metres (about 3 steps) away from other people in your home if possible;

- Sleep alone, if possible;

- Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water;

- Stay away from vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, as much as possible;

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- You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days, contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999;

As the UK's fight against coronavirus is set to dramatically escalate, here is a look at how things stand on Sunday March 15.

- The UK death toll from Covid-19 has risen from 21 to 35, with 34 deaths in England and one in Scotland.

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- There have been a total of 1,372 positive tests for coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Sunday, up from 1,140 at the same time on Saturday.

- Public Health Wales confirmed 34 new cases of Covid-19 in Wales on Sunday, bringing the total number confirmed in the country to 94.

- Eleven new cases were confirmed in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of known cases there to 45.

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- Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that elderly people will be asked to self-isolate for up to four months as part of the plan to tackle the virus.

- There could also be a shift to household isolation rather than individual self-isolation.

- Coronavirus testing will be prioritised for those most at risk of severe illness from the disease.

- Public Health England (PHE) said people in the community with a fever or cough do not usually need testing.

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- Mr Hancock confirmed that ministers were seeking to give police powers to arrest and forcibly quarantine people who are sick with the virus but are not self-isolating.

- He said a Bill setting out emergency powers to deal with the outbreak will be published on Thursday, and details of what the powers will include will be shared on Tuesday.

- Prime Minister Boris Johnson will personally urge manufacturers to shift their production lines to build ventilators, with Mr Hancock saying the NHS needs ventilators now more than anything else.

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- Negotiations are also taking place with private health firms about access to their hospital beds.

- Whitehall sources have already indicated that mass gatherings could be banned from next weekend.

- Other measures, including school closures, have also been considered as an option to combat the spread of the virus.

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- US President Donald Trump, who has tested negative for the virus, announced the extension of his travel restrictions to cover the UK and Ireland, with changes coming in at midnight on Monday night in the eastern US.

- Following the US travel ban, the Foreign Office has advised against "all but essential travel" to the US.