Winter vomiting bug strikes hospital
By yesterday, 31 of the 122 elderly patients and 16 staff at St Patrick’s Hospital in Waterford City had fallen ill to the infection, which broke out almost two weeks ago.
The hospital has been closed to new patient admissions and visiting restrictions have been in place since the outbreak of the contagious bug at the geriatric hospital.
Patients affected by the bug were placed in isolation and other infection control measures were also in place at the hospital. Based on the outskirts of the city, the hospital includes 4 respite, 22 rehabilitation and 95 long stay beds.
Laboratory tests confirmed the bug was the Small Round Structured Virus, the symptoms of which include vomiting and diarrhoea. The virus has closed the hospital to visitors and admissions on several occasions over the last two years.
The South Eastern Health Board (SEHB) yesterday said the virus was under control and it hoped to return to normal as no new cases had been reported since last weekend.
However, the South Eastern Health Board confirmed the last case was diagnosed on Sunday last and said it planned to remove visitor restrictions as soon as it could.
“When symptoms are present a whole set of procedures are put in place,” a SEHB spokesperson said.
The procedures will remain in place for the next few days, but the spokesperson said the situation at the hospital was now under control.
Meanwhile, two wards at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick were closed yesterday also as a result of the winter vomiting bug.
Six patients and two members of staff are being treated for the bug symptoms.
Visiting restrictions are in place and members of the public wishing to visit patients are asked to contact hospital staff.
The winter vomiting bug hits most hospitals each year and adds to the pressure on accident and emergency departments. It has proven difficult to control in premises where groups of people reside.
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