A rise in Covid infections and admissions has meant a renewed ban on visitors to Felixstowe hospital.

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) has announced the restrictions will come into effect on the morning of New Year's Day and will affect visits to general wards.

Every hospital run by the ESNEFT, including in Colchester, Clacton, the Fryatt Hospital in Harwich, Ipswich, Aldeburgh, and Bluebird Lodge in Ipswich, as well as Felixstowe.

There will be exceptions for those seeing patients in end of life care, or those in formal caring roles for patients, parents of children, and in the maternity ward.

"Once again, this has been a very tough decision to make," said Giles Thorpe, Chief Nurse at ESNEFT. "We understand how important visiting is to our patients and their families and friends, but we must do everything we can to keep everyone safe in our hospitals.

"We have been keeping a close eye on community COVID-19 infection rates and the number of people in our hospitals with the virus and this is action we really need to take now."