No patients or service users affected by Covid outbreak at Ballymena Health & Care Centre

News emerged yesterday (Thursday 15) of a Covid-19 outbreak among staff at the Ballymena Health and Care Centre.

In a statement the Northern Health & Social Care Trust said: "We can confirm that there has been an outbreak involving staff who work on the second floor of the Ballymena Health and Care Centre.

At this point in time, a total of 6 staff have tested positive for COVID-19. We are working quickly to understand the full implications and as a precautionary measure we have asked approximately 80 staff to remain at home and to self-isolate to allow a contact-tracing exercise to be completed.

The second floor is only accessible to staff via a security access system and it has now been closed to enable us to carry out a deep clean. Our Infection Prevention and Control Team is also carrying out a full risk assessment.

At this stage we have no evidence to suggest that patients or service users have been impacted."

Obviously this is an emerging situation and when we have a clearer picture we will provide further updates."