Visits have been severely restricted at a hospital battling a surge in flu cases.

Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford said the emergency department, acute care unit and medical wards were closed to visitors, except for patients receiving end-of-life care.

A Statement on hospital website He said the decision was made “for the safety of our patients.”

It came as hospitals in Colchester, Ipswich, Luton, Bedford and Milton Keynes all urged people to wear face masks in their settings.

The seasonal virus surge is putting pressure on health services in the east of England.

On New Year’s Eve, East of England Ambulance Service declared its highest alert levelStating that it had received “unprecedented levels” of 999 calls.

It comes after concerns were raised by Nick Hulme, chief executive of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Colchester and Ipswich hospitals.

Mr Hulme said staff had been “a little bit thrown into disarray” by the earlier-than-expected rise in flu infections.

after Visit to both the hospitals of the trust On Christmas Day, he said: “It was extraordinary to see the level of patients at both sites.”

A statement from Bedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable Hospital painted a similar picture of winter pressures.

“Our hospitals are seeing extraordinary levels of demand on services,” it reads.

Only one healthy person can visit patients there at a time, the owners said, and people were encouraged to wear face masks.

Milton Keynes Hospital advised that children under the age of 12 should avoid visiting any patients “for infection control reasons”.

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