Vomiting bug ban enters fourth week

VISITING restrictions remained in place at Cork University Hospital yesterday, 21 days after they were first introduced because of the winter vomiting bug.

A spokesman for the Health Services Executive (South) said a total ban on visitors at CUH remained in force, not because of an increase in the number of cases, but as a precautionary measure.

The ban was also introduced at St Finbarr’s Hospital on December 29, but it was lifted on January 9.

“The only exceptions to the rule at CUH will be for relatives of critically ill patients, who should make contact with the hospital in advance of their visit. The Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Day Units and the Outpatients’ Department remain open,” the spokesman said.

Anybody who has had symptoms of the virus in the past 72 hours is advised not to visit any hospital. The virus, if passed on to patients, especially the elderly, can cause sickness.

“It is our experience that if you ask people to voluntarily police themselves it doesn’t work, and that is why we had to introduce the ban. We want to ensure it doesn’t take a grip in hospitals.”

The winter vomiting bug, also known as Small Rounded Structured Viruses, causes outbreaks of abdominal pain and nausea followed by diarrhoea and/or vomiting. It is usually quite mild and rarely causes severe problems, but can be quite unpleasant and debilitating in small children or older people who are already sick.