WARDS at one of the hospitals in the Mid and South Essex Trust have been put into Covid-19 lockdown.

The move comes after reports of infection on Basildon Hospital's Jubilee wing.

A statement from the hospital management says: "To protect patients, staff and visitors from COVID-19, we are not allowing visitors to the wards on Jubilee Wing at Basildon Hospital.

"Visiting is still possible for end of life patients or for people who need some extra support, such as those with a learning disability.

"The wards affected are: Bulphan, Katherine Monk, Linford, Kingswood, Florence Nightingale, Majorie Warren, Edith Cavell, Osler, Lionel Cosins, Orsett, Lister, Pasteur and Elizabeth Fry.

"While we are restricting visiting, our ward staff will be keeping relatives fully informed of patients' progress."

According to the latest released figures there have been three Covid-19 related deaths at the hospital in October.

This is a sudden rise in against the recent trend. On 28 July the hospital recorded a Covid-19 death recorded one but it was just over 60 days before the next Covid-related death was recorded by the trust on September 29.

In total, since the pandemic began there have been 312 coronavirus-related deaths at the hospital.