Health chiefs have issued a firm reassurance over the future of Montrose Infirmary.
The hospital closed on April 24 after the failure of the heating and water systems, and soot-like material which was blown through the hospital’s air filter system has proved difficult to remove.
NHS Tayside has now issued an update, saying it hopes the situation will become clearer at the beginning of next week.
Dr Margaret McGuire, director of nursing, said: “We know that the services provided at the infirmary are valued by the communities in and around Montrose.
“We would like to reassure the communities in and around Montrose that NHS Tayside Board has made no decision to close Montrose Infirmary.
“The safety of our patients and staff remains paramount and we are doing everything we can to move to a position where Montrose Infirmary is safe for both patients and staff.”
NHS Tayside has said the water, heating and filtration systems at the infirmary are undergoing a full environmental and system review and this week has also seen chimney structures checked and the heating system re-tested.
“As we previously said, we have taken water samples for quality testing as it is critical to ensure there is no risk to patients or staff from the water,” said NHS Tayside.
“These samples will not be back from the laboratory until the week commencing Monday, 26 May, and this will be important for us in taking decisions moving forward.
“Teams from the estates department and our support services department have been on site again this week to tackle the oily substance which has settled on surfaces throughout the hospital from when the heating system failed, blowing a soot-like substance through the air filter system.
“They are due to return to the infirmary on Monday to undertake another clean.”
Antenatal and postnatal maternity services continue to be provided at the Links Health Centre in Montrose by the local midwifery team.
Mothers-to-be continue to be advised of the transfer of maternity services for the birth of their babies to Arbroath Community maternity unit at Arbroath Infirmary.
Since the transfer of services there have been 13 babies, whose mothers would have given birth at Montrose, born in Arbroath.
The GP ward has transferred to the inpatient unit at Brechin Infirmary and NHS Tayside said patients will be admitted directly into Brechin.