Vomiting bug crisis ‘worsening’

THE outbreak of the Winter Vomiting Bug at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin was described as a “worsening crisis” yesterday after another 22 members of staff fell ill with the virus.

Approximately 95 patients and 65 staff have the bug. A further 45 patients are showing symptoms of the virus, while 14 wards at the hospital remain closed to new admissions because of the outbreak.

The outbreak is increasing the strain on accident and emergency services and remaining wards.

The number of new cases of the virus is increasing pressure on hospital services at a time when staff numbers are depleted.

Management at the hospital again called on those with symptoms of the bug to stay away from accident and emergency department and said they were discouraging visits to St Vincent’s.

The Irish Nurses Organisation said they had 800 members at the hospital but that the numbers falling ill was putting “a huge strain” on the hospital.

INO industrial relations officer Philip McAnenly said, “It’s going to take a radical approach at this stage.”

He said accident and emergency nurses should be given protective clothing immediately and that nurses from outside the hospital should be drafted in.

“They could be incentivising nurses in the short term to work in the area to alleviate the stresses and impossible workloads,” he said.

Five surgical procedures at the hospital were cancelled on Thursday due to the spread of the virus, and more procedures scheduled for next week are under threat.

Other hospitals in Dublin, such as the Beaumont and St James, have a small number of cases but assured patients that the situation was under control.

Similarly, other hospitals elsewhere in the country, such as University Hospital Galway and the Mid-western Hospital in Limerick, said they had a small number of cases of the bug.