Bon Secours imposes visitor ban, restrictions still in place at hospitals

Additional reporting: Eoin English

Strict visitor restrictions remain in place across all South/South West Hospital Group hospitals, including Cork and Kerry university hospitals due to infection control concerns.

The hospitals where these restrictions have been implemented also include Cork University Maternity Hospital, University Hospital Waterford, and South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital.

Mercy University Hospital and Bantry and Mallow general hospitals are also affected.

“This is in the interest of patient care and in order to prevent the spread of infection,” a spokesperson said.

“Anyone with any queries about visiting times or visiting a particular hospital should ring the respective hospital directly. We regret any inconvenience caused to patients and relatives by these necessary measures.

“All infection control measures are in place and every effort is being made by each hospital to manage and contain the spread of infection.”

They added that S/SWHG management have requested that, where appropriate, the public contact their GP/Out- of-Hours service in the first instance.

They also urged people to “explore all other options available to them prior to presenting to emergency departments if their needs are not urgent”.

The Bon Secours Cork, where a patient with Covid-19 arising from community transmission is being treated in isolation, has stepped up precautions.

Management have introduced a full visitor ban, with exceptions only for relatives of critically ill patients. In addition to the confirmed case directly affected by Covid-19, two members of staff are self-isolating.

The initial confirmed case of Covid-19 in Cork University Hospital on Thursday, March 5 has, HSE management acknowledged, led to disruption to appointments and a follow-on impact on other services. They warned that there are “challenging times” ahead.

Staff from all areas of the service worked across the weekend and into yesterday on contact tracing to identify people who have been in contact with confirmed cases and giving them appropriate public health advice.

“We aim to contact trace and communicate with everyone as quickly as possible,” said director of public health, HSE South, Dr Augustine Pereira.

“If people do not hear directly from us, they do not need to be concerned.

“Ireland remains in the containment phase. That means that all efforts are being made to identify contacts and to give them specific public health advice.”

CEO of the South/South West Hospital Group, Gerry O’Dwyer, said: “We have had no option but to restrict visiting at hospitals across the South South West Hospital Group, and also to cancel some appointments at Cork University Hospital.

“We appreciate how difficult this can be for patients and their loved ones, and we wish to thank them for their understanding.”

Useful information
• The HSE have developed an information pack on how to protect yourself and others from coronavirus. Read it here
• Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus who has been in close contact with a confirmed case in the last 14 days should isolate themselves from other people - this means going into a different, well-ventilated room alone, with a phone; phone their GP, or emergency department - if this is not possible, phone 112 or 999 and in a medical emergency (if you have severe symptoms) phone 112 or 999