The finishing touches are being made at Maidstone Hospital as part of efforts to set up an assessment pod for suspected coronavirus patients.

All hospitals are being urged to put in place special areas so people who attend hospital with the symptoms – which include fevers, coughs and breathing difficulties – can be separated from other patients.

Isolation pods and a separate entrance were spotted at Medway Maritime in Gillingham last week and now Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW), which runs the Hermitage Lane hospital, is taking similar steps.

An NHS spokeswoman said: “Following national guidance all hospitals are putting in place NHS 111 pods at their emergency departments, so that anyone attending hospital with symptoms of the virus can be kept isolated from other patients and avoid causing unnecessary pressure in A&E.

“Over the coming weeks many more of us may need to self-isolate at home for a period to reduce this virus's spread.

"Everyone can continue to play their part by taking simple steps such as washing hands to prevent the spread of infection and calling NHS 111 first before going to the doctors or A&E if they have any concerns about or show symptoms of coronavirus.”

MTW chief executive Miles Scott described the work being done to prepare at the hospital as a "brilliant response from whole estates and facilities team".

It comes after a small group of staff at Kent County Council (KCC) who travelled abroad to affected areas self-isolated for 14 days after their return.

A spokesman for KCC said: "There are no confirmed cases of Coronavirus among KCC staff nor in the county of Kent.

"In one case a KCC member of staff, who does not have contact with the public, came into the office after travelling to one of the affected areas. As they were feeling unwell, they went home to self-quarantine.

"We are continuing to advise our staff and residents to follow Public Health advice.”

A precautionary deep clean was carried out last weekend in two rooms where the person had been working.

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