FACE masks are now obligatory again for all patients and visitors coming into York Hospital - other than those who can provide evidence of medical exemption.

The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which only relaxed mask rules on June 13, said the restrictions were tightened last Friday after cases continued to rise among patients and in the community.

It said today that it now had 143 confirmed and suspected Covid patients at York and Scarborough hospitals, with one in intensive care.

The trust said masks would be available at entrances to the hospitals.

A trust spokeswoman said last week that it was making masks mandatory in all clinical areas, not just high risk areas.

It said today that anyone showing any symptoms of Covid-19 should not visit but two visitors were permitted at a time, per patient.

"Patients may be accompanied where appropriate and necessary to assist their communication and/or to meet their health, care, emotional, religious, or spiritual care needs," it said.

"Before visiting we encourage all visitors to help to keep our patients safe by undertaking a lateral flow test. We will not ask for this result on arrival.

"We do understand how important it is for patients to remain connected with their family, friends and carers when they come into hospital and we continually review our visiting guidance so that when it is safe to relax visiting restrictions we do so."

Meanwhile, there has been some relaxation of restrictions in the hospital's maternity services. Patients can now have one birth partner visit them for a twelve hour slot on the antenatal and postnatal wards, from 8am to 8pm, plus one extra adult visitor between 1pm-3pm, who does not need to be pre-booked with the ward.

All birth partners and visitors are being asked to help to keep everyone safe by wearing a mask when in communal areas of the ward.

However, they can take off their mask when either behind the curtains of bed spaces or when in a single room, although they should be worn when a staff member is in attendance.

Anyone experiencing coronavirus symptoms is urged not to visit until they feel well.

"Thank you for your understanding and patience while we continue our work to reintroduce visiting in a safe way," adds the trust.

The trust's mask announcement comes after health minister Lord Kamall said Covid restrictions could be reintroduced if a rising number of cases had an impact on the NHS backlog.

Official data has shown that 2.7 million people in private households are estimated to have had Covid over the past week, up 18 per cent from 2.3 million the previous week.

The Minister said: "We continue to see Covid-19 case rates and hospitalisations rising in all age groups, with the largest increases in hospitalisations and ICU admissions in those aged 75 and older."