A Dunedin Hospital ward has been closed to visitors due to virus exposure events, one week after a hospital-wide visitor ban was lifted.
Ward 8MED has been temporarily closed due to "staff and patient Covid-19 and influenza exposure events", according to the Southern DHB.
In a statement, a DHB spokesperson said it was a "distressing" situation for affected families but that its "priority was patient safety".
"All necessary steps are being taken to ensure the exposure events are contained. This includes closely monitoring patients for signs and symptoms of Covid-19 and influenza," it said.
"We apologise for the inconvenience to patients on Ward 8MED and their families. We know this is distressing for them, and we thank everyone for supporting our health care team to keep our community safe."
Visitation to patients would only be available on compassionate grounds, according to the DHB. Families are advised to contact the ward directly for further details. The spokesperson said the DHB would provide further updates when restrictions eased.
READ MORE: Dunedin Hospital closes to visitors due to Covid number strain
General visiting at Dunedin Hospital remains from 2-6pm daily and is unaffected.
Earlier in June, the hospital closed entirely to visitors for around six days due to "an increased Covid-19 risk and pressure on hospital capacity".
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