HAY Lodge Hospital has been forced to close to admissions due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

The situation at the Peebles facility is being kept under regular review, according to an NHS Borders spokesperson.

An outbreak of coronavirus has also led to visiting being restricted in ward 9 at Borders General Hospital (BGH), near Melrose.

The spokesperson for the region’s health board said: “Ward 9 in the BGH and Hay Lodge Hospital in Peebles are both closed to admissions due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

“All but essential visiting is currently suspended in both facilities. The situation is being kept under regular review and these restrictions will be eased as soon as it is safe to do so.

READ MORE: Borders man made threats and sexual remarks towards pharmacy delivery driver

“If your visit is essential please contact your loved one’s care team to make arrangements.”

According to the spokesperson, examples of ‘essential’ visiting include: A person receiving end-of-life care; to support someone with a mental health issue, learning disability, autism or dementia in circumstances where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed; when someone is receiving information about life-changing illness or treatments; and where support from another person is essential for advocacy and wellbeing.

The outbreaks come in the same week that the NHS Borders public board meeting was moved online due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the region.

It had been due to be held in person on Thursday (June 30) at Tweed Horizons and it would have been the first non-virtual meeting since the start of the pandemic.

However, due the rise in coronavirus cases in the Borders a decision was made to hold the meeting online.

The board, which meets every two months, says it is committed to “building on the strong links it has with patients, staff, local communities, disadvantaged groups and other stakeholders”.