Suspected Monkeypox case results in Altnagelvin turning away ambulance patients

A suspected case of Monkeypox resulted in Altnagelvin Hospital’s Accident and Emergency department turning away patients in ambulances.

On March 3, Derry patients requesting ambulances were told they could not be transferred to Altnagelvin’s Accident and Emergency department as it was on lockdown, undergoing decontamination. 

During this time, ambulances were being diverted to the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. 

Renamed Mpox in November 2022, the highly infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus presents as a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. While most people fully recover from Mpox, some become extremely ill. 

In response to an enquiry from The Derry News, the media and communications manager of NIAS said: “The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service can confirm that for a period of time on Monday, March 3, 2025, and at the request of Western Trust, ambulance patients were transported to sites other than Altnagelvin Emergency Department.”

However, when asked initially to confirm whether ambulances were being diverted to Coleraine, a spokesperson for WHSCT said: “In respect of the enquiry regarding the ambulance service, this would be a query for NIAS and not the Trust.”

On three occasions, the WHSCT also refused to offer any explanation regarding why decontamination was being carried out at Altnagelvin’s Accident and Emergency department, on March 3. 

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The Trust spokesperson said: “For infection prevention and control reasons, the Western Trust carried out a deep-clean of Altnagelvin Emergency department waiting area on March 3.

“There was no confirmed case of Mpox in Altnagelvin Hospital. 

“No member of the public would be turned away from coming into Altnagelvin ED and the Trust implements all infection prevention and control measures automatically in any such instance, to ensure the safety of patients and staff in all our facilities,” said the WHSCT spokesperson.

Pressed on whether decontamination was carried out as a precaution because there was a suspected, as opposed to a “confirmed” case of Mpox, the WHSCT spokesperson said: “The Trust would not make any comment in respect of any individual patient or case.”