Admissions to hospital of several patients awaiting planned surgery continued to be postponed by one of Dublin's largest hospitals yesterday following the discovery of further new cases of the winter vomiting bug, writes Eithne Donnellan.
Beaumont Hospital said it had identified 30 new suspected cases of the virus in the hospital over a 24-hour period up to yesterday afternoon, bringing the total number of patients displaying symptoms to 80.
A total 17 out of 19 wards in the hospital are now affected by the virus.
A hospital spokesman said nine of the patients now suspected of having the virus developed symptoms within 24 hours of their admissions. "This may be an indication of the presence of the virus in the general community," he said.
Meanwhile Dublin's Mater Hospital announced yesterday that the public would only be allowed to visit patients in "exceptional circumstances" following the spread of the virus. The hospital confirmed its first case last Friday but two additional suspected cases of the bug were identified yesterday.
Chief executive Mr Martin Cowley said the hospital decided to suspend visits by the general public to patients. He hopes this will restrict the spread of the bug.
"People in exceptional circumstances who wish to visit should first seek prior approval by contacting the relevant ward manager by phone. They will not be admitted without prior ward manager approval," he said.
There have also been outbreaks of the virus at St James's, St Vincent's and Tallaght Hospitals, Dublin.
Approximately 30 patients were being treated as suspected cases at St James's yesterday. Less than 10 were being treated at St Vincent's and four cases were being treated at Tallaght.
In the south-east, 16 more people at Waterford Regional Hospital (two patients and 14 members of staff) were suspected of having contracted the virus yesterday.
A total of 34 patients and 46 members of staff have reported symptoms consistent with the virus.The hospital has been closed to visitors, apart from exceptional circumstances, and security staff are in place at the entrance. All non-urgent admissions have been cancelled until Thursday.
In the north-east, six suspected cases of the virus have been found at Navan hospital, one at Cavan hospital and there have been five confirmed and eight suspected cases at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.