CONCERN has been expressed about pressure on the health service after ambulances were pictured lined up outside a Newry hospital.
SDLP assembly member Justin McNulty shared video footage of the emergency vehicles at Daisy Hill Hospital on Saturday night.
Mr McNulty said it was "scary for patients and staff".
"God bless them all," he wrote.
Figures over the weekend showed the Newry, Mourne and Down area had the highest seven-day rate of Covid in the north with 858 cases per 100,000 people.
Daisy Hill Hospital tonight. This is so scary for patients and staff. God bless them all. pic.twitter.com/75g9FXZR0e
— Justin McNulty (@JustinMcNu1ty) January 9, 2021
In a statement, the Southern Trust said "our hospitals are very busy dealing with high volumes of ill patients".
"We are doing our best to see patients as quickly as possible," a spokeswoman said.
"High levels of Covid-19 are circulating in our local community and this is seriously impacting on all our services - we appeal to everyone to support us by doing all they can to reduce transmission and we ask that once treatment is finished, patients move to more appropriate accommodation so beds are available for patients needing urgent care."
Queues of ambulances were seen at other hospitals across the north last month, with some patients treated in car parks due to a lack of capacity.
At one point, 17 ambulances containing patients were lined up outside the A&E at Antrim Area Hospital.
