Manx Care has revealed that the number of Covid-19 cases at Noble’s Hospital has ‘stabilised’.

The announcement comes following a sharp rise in coronavirus cases reported in the island after this year’s Isle of Man TT.

The marked increase in cases emerged between two to three weeks after tens of thousands of racing enthusiasts began visited on the island for the TT fortnight, Manx Care said.

And although the rise in Covid cases is now easing, Manx Care says mandatory mask wearing will continue to be in force in some clinical settings.

A spokesperson for the arms-length healthcare provider said: ‘Masks are still required in point of care areas (i.e. inpatient wards, outpatients and care homes) until at least next week.

‘Whilst the trend of Covid cases in the hospital is decreasing, we don't want to come out of masks too early and see the cases start to increase again.’

Since the end of June, all Manx Care employees working in patient-facing settings have been required to wear masks, as well as members of the public visiting people in hospitals.

People attending appointments or the Emergency Department are also being encouraged to wear them.

Face masks are being provided at hospital entrances as well as the various different healthcare settings across the island.

Noble’s Hospital came under ‘major pressures’ on Monday largely due to an increase in A&E admissions.

Although the situation has eased, bed spaces for patients is still limited at the facility.

Patients are now being told to expect longer wait times at the accident and emergency department.0

Manx Care says it is ‘working with the ward doctors and nurses to improve earlier discharges in a bid to tackle the problem.’

Some patients have been and will continue to be transferred to the Martin Ward at Ramsey Cottage Hospital to ‘create capacity for those patients in A&E to be transferred to a bed more quickly,’ the healthcare provider confirmed.