Two wards at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen have been closed to new admissions and visitors due to separate outbreaks of flu and scabies, Hywel Dda University Health Board has announced.
The closures affect Steffan Ward, which is managing an influenza outbreak, and Cadog Ward, which is dealing with a scabies outbreak. Both wards are closed to admissions and visitors while the outbreaks are managed.
Health board response
Hywel Dda University Health Board, which oversees healthcare in west Wales, said the decision was made "due to separate outbreaks of infectious conditions". Health bosses said: "The health, safety and wellbeing of our patients, visitors and staff is our priority."
In a statement, the health board said it is taking additional steps to prevent the infections from spreading. These include extra cleaning, isolating patients when required, monitoring the situation closely, and providing care and treatment for affected patients.
Additional precautions
The health board's infection prevention and control team is also working closely with hospital management to minimise any potential impact on services.
Visitors to other wards are asked to only attend the hospital site if they are feeling well and have not been in contact with a known case of scabies in the community. Visitors are also reminded to wash their hands and follow any ward-specific restrictions.
"We will be monitoring the situation closely and hope to issue an update early next week," the health board added.
The news comes after Steffan Ward at Glangwili Hospital was forced to close in July due to an outbreak of crusted scabies, a rare and highly contagious form of the illness.
