Vomiting bug leads to ban on visitors in two hospitals

A TOTAL ban on visitors at two hospitals in Cork and one in Kerry, because of the winter vomiting bug, is continuing, the Health Services Executive (HSE) confirmed yesterday.

The only exceptions are relatives of critically ill patients who are asked to make contact with the hospital in advance of their visit.

The ban was introduced earlier this month at St Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork, Cork University Hospital (CUH) and St. Clare’s wards, in St Finbarr’s Hospital.

A similar ban was put in place at Kerry General Hospital, Tralee, on Wednesday.

The radiotherapy and chemotherapy day units and the outpatients’ department, at CUH, remain open. Other wards at St Finbarr’s, including the maternity unit, have not been affected.

CUH director of nursing Mary Boyd said the virus was extremely infectious and people affected it by it could pass it on to sick relatives or friends when visiting them in hospital.

‘‘We would appeal to people who have had symptoms of vomiting and/or diarrhoea not to visit any hospital until they have been symptom-free for three days,” she added.

In Kerry General Hospital, the outpatients’ department, maternity unit, dialysis unit, cancer unit and physiotherapy department are not affected by the ban.

However, all visitors and outpatients are asked to be mindful of attending any clinic, or healthcare setting, if they had the bug in the previous 72 hours.

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

It is usually quite mild and rarely causes severe problems, however it may be quite debilitating in small children or older people who are already sick, according to the HSE.