Alder Hey Children's Hospital will close to all non essential visitors as it steps up measures to protect patients and staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust made the announcement that the hospital would be introducing a stricter visiting policy on Tuesday morning.
Under the new visitor policy, the hospital will be closed to all except hospital staff, patients and parents and carers visiting their children.
Last week, the Trust restricted visiting to one parent or carer at any one time and asked families to avoid bringing children when visiting patients at the hospital.
The Trust acknowledged that the measures "may be challenging and frustrating" but said they were "essential in reducing the possibility of spreading the virus within the Hospital".
Last Monday the Trust recorded its first coronavirus death which is recorded as occurring on 16 April.
Alder Hey said that the death involved one of the adults being cared for at the hospital during the coronavirus epidemic.
In a statement posted on their website, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust said: "To ensure the upmost standards of safety for our patients, families, and staff, we are continuing to introduce measures to allow for safe social distancing and reduce the amount of people coming onto the hospital site.
"Last week, in line with other hospitals, we introduced new visiting arrangements in order to protect patients, staff and other visitors.
"Visiting has been reduced to one parent or carer at any one time and we have also asked that families avoid bringing children in to visit patients.
"In order for us to further reduce footfall and adhere to social distancing measures within our main Hospital building, we have now also taken the decision to close down our Hospital to anyone other than hospital staff, patients and parents/carers visiting their children.
"Our Security Team will support our Volunteer colleagues in greeting our staff, patients and visitors at all Hospital entrances, to ensure that only they are accessing the building. We will also be ensuring that social distancing measures are in place outside the hospital to ensure safe queuing.
"The facilities within the Atrium, including M&S, WH Smiths, Costa Coffee, and the Treetops Restaurant are currently remaining open, but for staff and parents within the Hospital only.
"We would ask that members of the general public do not try to use the Hospital Atrium as a thoroughfare during this time. External food delivery drivers will also no longer be able to access the Hospital.
"We appreciate that the measures may be challenging and frustrating. However we believe that they are essential in reducing the possibility of spreading the virus within the Hospital and will help to keep our staff and families as well as our most vulnerable patients safe. "
