Covid-19 closes inpatient wards in Wick and Golspie hospitals, with four wards at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness also hit by the virus or scabies
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INPATIENT wards at two Caithness and Sutherland hospitals are closed after outbreaks of Covid-19.
In a statement to the John O'Groat Journal this morning, NHS Highland said Wick's Town and County, and the Lawson Memorial in Golspie were affected.
Their closures are part of a wider impact of recent Covid-19 outbreaks on Highland hospitals. Three wards at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness have also been shut due to infections among patients and staff. One of them, Ward 6C, was shut to new admissions after scabies was identified among "a very small number of patients".
News of these added pressures on NHS Highland hospital services come just hours after the health board was forced to cancel some operations at Raigmore Hospital after a "significant number" of new patients put pressure on "an already pressured system".
Related: Raigmore Hospital in Inverness cancels operations to deal with emergencies
It is unclear if these outbreaks of Covid and scabies have played a role in that announcement or heightened pressure.
An NHS spokesman added: "Covid has not gone away and we are seeing its impact on our hospital services. We currently have three wards at Raigmore Hospital, and the inpatient wards in Wick Town and County, and Lawson Memorial closed due to incidence of Covid amongst patients and staff.
"Infection control measures are in place and care is continuing as normal.
"We would ask everyone to please keep doing the things that protect you and your loved ones. If an adult has symptoms and is not well enough to carry out daily activities, or has a fever, they should stay home.
"Please do not visit any of our hospital or social care settings if you are unwell."
On the scabies outbreak, the spokesman added: "We have identified a very small number of patients who have been diagnosed with scabies on Ward 6C [at Raigmore]. Infection control measures are in place and, while the ward is closed to new admissions, care is continuing as normal."
