Visitors have been banned from visiting patients at Southmead Hospital.
North Bristol NHS Trust has announced visitors are not currently permitted within the hospital due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The new restrictions came into place on Monday (March 23).
Instead those wanting to contact their loved ones are being asked to do so by telephone or video link.
A spokesman for North Bristol NHS Trust said: “In line with the Government’s strict new rules announced on Monday 23 March, we have suspended visiting with immediate effect.
“To help prevent the spread of infection, we ask that you please stay at home. We know it is important for our patients to keep in contact with family and friends.
“We will support them where possible to make use of any telephone and video call functions they might have available.
We acknowledge this is a challenging time, and all of us at North Bristol NHS Trust thank you for playing your part in keeping our patients, staff and community safe.”
There will be some exceptions to the rule on compassionate grounds including where the patient is vulnerable due to having dementia or learning disabilities.
Exceptions will also be made to those patients receiving end of life care.
People who are attending the hospital for treatment as an outpatient are asked to attend on their own.
Mums-to-be attending the maternity unit to give birth will have to nominate a single birthing partner to be with them during their stay.
Siblings and all other visitors are not able to visit the ward at this time.
Mothers to be attending antenatal clinics are also asked to attend along, with partners, siblings and all other visitors unable to attend.
North Bristol NHS Trust is the first health trust in the Bristol area to completely ban visitors to the hospital.
Other health trusts – including University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust and Weston Area Health Trust – are still open to visitors but have strict visiting restrictions in place.
Further details of visiting loved ones during the coronavirus outbreak can be found by visiting hospital websites.
