Testing pods for the latest coronavirus are currently in place at Royal Bolton Hospital.

The Bolton News received confirmation that the pods were in place yesterday afternoon.

A letter from Professor Keith Willett, the strategic director at the NHS, was sent to all Trusts at the end of January.

It asked all Trusts to create a "Coronavirus Priority Assessment Pod" for people with symptoms to attend. The pods must have a phone and be available 24/7.

Once someone has entered the pod, they will call NHS 111 and receive an enhanced assessment.

If the service decides that the person should be tested or admitted to hospital, the team will contact the A&E department to tell them where the patient is located and their contact details to arrange their arrival. Pods will need to be decontaminated if a patient shows symptoms of Covid-19

An NHS spokesperson said: “Anyone returning from Hubei province in the last 14 days should stay indoors, avoid contact with other people and call NHS 111 whether or not they are showing symptoms.

“Anyone with a cough, fever, or shortness of breath who attends hospital and has recently returned from a specified country, will be advised to follow signs to pods and call for advice, so they stay isolated from other patients.”

This applies to travellers from China, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Macau.