ALL patients, visitors and staff at Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital are again being asked to wear face masks from today (Tuesday, July 5).

It comes as the number of people being cared for with Covid-19 is on the rise once again.

There has also been an increase in the number of NHS employees with the virus.

Staff in certain areas of the hospital such as A&E, minor injury units and units visited by outpatients were told to wear masks last month as a "temporary measure" with the influx of 250,000 to Somerset and a rise in coronavirus cases locally.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has today issued a statement, saying: "Last month, we made the decision that mask wearing across most of our hospitals and units would be optional in line with national guidance.

"However, once again we are seeing a rise in the number of patients being cared for with Covid-19 across our services, along with an increase in colleague sickness.

"The safety of our patients and colleagues is of the utmost importance, and to minimise the spread of the virus we are taking the difficult decision that from today (Tuesday 5 July) we will be asking everyone (patients, visitors and colleagues) to wear a face mask inside all of our NHS trust buildings, including clinical areas and non-clinical areas such as corridors.

"We know this will be disappointing, following the relaxation of the rules last month - but it’s very important that we take this immediate, proactive step to respond to the increase in positive Covid-19 cases within our NHS trust and to help protect our patients and colleagues during this time.

"We are sorry that we have had to introduce this change once again and thank you for your continued understanding and support."

READ MORE: Musgrove staff told to mask up again.