East Cheshire NHS Trust has announced that visiting will remain suspended at Macclesfield District General Hospital and Congleton Hospital's Aston Unit due to the North West 'R' number being higher than many other regions.

All visiting will remain suspended apart from; if a patient is receiving end-of-life care or; if a visitor is a parent or appropriate adult visiting a child.

In these circumstances one visitor – an immediate family member or carer – will be permitted to visit.

An East Cheshire NHS Trust spokesperson said: "We have based this decision on the current North West context where the 'R' number remains higher than many other regions. We will continue to monitor this closely.

"We appreciate these restrictions are difficult for many families. These important measures will help ensure the safety of patients and visitors and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Thank you in advance for your understanding and support."

The hospital does have free WiFi so relatives can use video calls to keep in touch wherever possible. Additionally, East Cheshire NHS Trust have a free patient messaging service available on their website.

General information about coronavirus is available via the NHS website.