Vomiting bug hits second hospital

THE winter vomiting bug hit a second Cork hospital yesterday.

Strict visiting restrictions were introduced at a section of St Finbarr’s Hospital after patients in St Oliver’s Ward, a male rehabilitation ward for the elderly, fell ill.

The ward was closed to all visitors for the foreseeable future, a spokesperson for the Health Service Executive (HSE) said.

“The situation is being reviewed on a daily basis,” she said.

Hospital management appealed to people who would like to visit relatives to contact 021-492 3235 before arriving at the hospital.

The hospital’s maternity section has not been affected.

Meanwhile, visiting restrictions were still in place at Cork University Hospital (CUH) last night after an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug in two wards on Wednesday.

Visits were being restricted to patients’ next of kin or immediate family members.

CUH hospital managers reiterated their appeal to the public to stay away.

The hospital’s radiotherapy and chemotherapy day units and its outpatients department, which are separate from patients already in the hospital, were continuing to operate as normal.

The HSE spokesperson said anyone with concerns about visiting should contact the nursing sister on the ward they intend to visit or ring the hospital before arrival.

The HSE South’s hospital network manager, Gerry O’Dwyer, said winter vomiting disease is highly infectious.

“We are appealing to people to stay away from visiting the hospital if possible,” he said. “Any person with vomiting and/or diarrhoea, or anyone who has had contact with persons with those symptoms should not visit any hospital until they have been symptom-free for three days.”

The virus usually causes short-lasting outbreaks of abdominal pain and nausea followed by diarrhoea and/or vomiting.

It is usually quite mild but it can be very debilitating in small children or older people who are already sick.