The gastric bug that has hit a number of hospitals in the West of Ireland was yesterday confirmed in hospitals in Cavan and Ros- common. Four cases were confirmed at the Cavan General Hospital and three were confirmed at Roscommon County Hospital.
The Western Health Board said last night that Roscommon County Hospital would be closed to elective admissions today as a result of the outbreak of the winter vomi- ting bug.
In addition to the four confirmed cases in Cavan, there are six unconfirmed cases. The first case was confirmed on Friday of last week.
In an effort to contain the infection, Dr Rosaleen Corcoran, Director of Public Health with the NEHB appealed for the public not to visit patients in the hospital unless absolutely necessary.
She also asked that they don't bring small children on hospital visits, don't bring exposure-prone food such as fruit with them, don't visit someone in an affected ward and then visit an unaffected ward and that they do not visit patients if they are unwell and especially if they have diarrhoea or vomiting.
The North Eastern Health Board said there were two previous outbreaks in hospitals in Dundalk and Navan in December and January and they were successfully contained.
The NEHB board was able to contain the last outbreak in the Louth Hospital, Dundalk at Christmas and at the end of last month by closing the affected ward until the patients were symptom-free. Similar restrictions dealt with an outbreak in the psychiatric unit at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan.
The primary symptoms are diarrhoea and vomiting and the infection is most common during winter. It is not treated with antibiotics and lasts 2-3 days. Some people also suffer from a raised temperature, headaches and aching limbs.
It can spread in hospitals be- cause of close contact between patients and staff. As a result Dr Corcoran also asked that the public read the "notice for visitors" in the affected ward in Cavan hospital before visiting patients. Strict restrictions have also been introduced for visitors for those with the infection.
Meanwhile, Mayo General Hospital reopened yesterday for elective admissions after the recent outbreak of the virus.