AN emergency hospital ward is being built to cope with the increase of borough patients expected to need treatment for coronavirus.

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) is constructing a unit at its Royal Albert Edward Infirmary site in Wigan to support people who have COVID-19.

The emergency contingency ward will provide WWL with an extra 52 beds – 28 of which will be used to increase our critical care capacity – more than trebling the current capacity.

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WWL project director Chris Knights said: “This has been an amazing effort by everyone concerned. We made the decision to commission this ward last Thursday (March 19) and we now have a construction team on site working flat out to deliver this ward as soon as possible.

“I cannot thank everyone concerned enough for everything they have done to support the NHS at this difficult time.”