Winter virus: At least seven hospitals across the State are now trying to bring outbreaks of the winter vomiting bug under control.
The latest hospital to be hit is Wexford General, which yesterday had 10 patients with symptoms.
Hospitals in Limerick, Ennis, Nenagh, Galway and Cork are also affected.
Wexford General Hospital has cancelled all non-urgent admissions and outpatient clinics, with the exception of cancer and maternity clinics. It is also closed to visitors, unless in exceptional circumstances.
These arrangements will be reviewed on a daily basis, it said.
Meanwhile, two cases of the winter vomiting bug have been confirmed in patients at Ennis General Hospital.
There are also two suspected cases at St Joseph's Community Hospital for the elderly in Ennis.
And five cases have been confirmed among patients at Nenagh General Hospital. It too is closed to new admissions, although its accident and emergency unit is continuing to function. Emergency cases will be stabilised at the A&E unit before being transferred to other hospitals in the region, a spokesman said.
There are also three confirmed and nine suspected cases of the bug at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.
In Cork six patients on one ward at St Finbarr's Hospital also have symptoms. The rehabilitation ward for elderly patients is closed to visitors.
There are also "a couple" of suspected cases of the winter vomiting bug at University College Hospital, Galway, a spokeswoman said yesterday.
The winter vomiting bug, also known as SRSV (small round structured virus) or norovirus, usually causes abdominal pain and nausea followed by diarrhoea and or vomiting.
The Health Service Executive said it was usually quite mild and rarely caused severe problems. However, it said it "may be quite unpleasant and debilitating in small children or older people who are already sick".
The virus is highly infectious and can be spread directly from person to person, by food and water and through the air. It is common in the community and can be brought into hospitals by visitors or patients with symptoms attending A&E.
Once in a hospital it can spread quickly between patients.
The HSE says people affected by the virus should drink plenty of fluids, maintain strict hygiene and because of the highly contagious nature of the virus, avoid visiting hospitals or nursing homes.
"If symptoms persist, contact your GP by telephone and advise him or her of your condition before going to the surgery so as to limit the spread of the virus," a spokeswoman said.
Every year outbreaks of the bug lead to ward closures in hospitals and the cancellation of elective surgery.
Outbreaks in hospitals cost the health service more than €10 million in 2002, when around 7,500 people were infected. These included staff who had to be replaced, adding to costs.
Guidelines on the management of outbreaks of the bug in healthcare settings were published in December 2003.
Drawn up by the former National Disease Surveillance Centre, they emphasised the need for early identification of an outbreak and the need to take rapid action to prevent the bug spreading.
They also stressed the need for scrupulous hand-washing and recommended that there should be a written hand-washing policy in all healthcare settings, with an emphasis on the need for staff to wash their hands.