A&E units treat more fractures due to icy conditions

There was a significant increase in the number of visits to Accident and Emergency Units over Christmas due to the cold snap.

The HSE said that A&E departments were busier than usual with sprains and fractures from slips and falls on icy roads and footpaths.

There was a 22% increase in visits to University College Hospital in Galway, a 25% rise at Connolly Hospital in Dublin and visits to the Mater Hospital in Dublin were up by 15%.

The HSE is urging people to wear well-fitted shoes with non-slip soles, to have their vision checked and to visit a doctor even if the fall is minor.