A pod to isolate people with symptoms of Covid 19, or Coronavirus, has been set up at Croydon University Hospital.

All hospitals have been advised to set up the pods in the emergency departments.

Last week the hospital revealed in an FOI response to the Croydon Guardian that 30 people have been tested for the virus but none of the tests were positive.

So far in the UK, 13 people have tested positive for the virus, while a total of 6,795 people have been tested.

A spokesperson for the Croydon University Trust 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.”

RELATED: 30 people have been tested for coronavirus at Croydon University Hospital

How does the testing work?

Patients who go to the hospital with suspected cases are kept in isolation away from public areas of the hospital and returned home in isolation.

Any equipment that comes into contact with suspected cases has to be thoroughly cleaned.

Hospital staff are following specific guidance from NHS England to keep themselves and others safe.

What to do if you think you have it

Advice on the trust’s website advises people to call 111 if you have been in contact with somebody with a confirmed case of the virus.

The risk of this is very low in England because people who have visited Wuhan, Hubei province in China are currently in isolation.

If you have got back from Iran, lockdown areas in Northern Italy, special care zones in South Korea since February 19 you should called 111 and stay indoors and avoid contact with others even if you have no symptoms.

The same applies if you have returned from Hubei province in the past 14 days.

And if you have symptoms, however mild, you should do the same if you’ve returned from, Northern Italy (defined by a line above, and not including, Pisa, Florence and Rimini), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar since February 19. 

Public Health England advise it to:

Carry tissues and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.