'Visiting ban' at Limerick hospital wards amid outbreak of winter vomiting bug

VISITING restrictions are currently in place at University Hospital Limerick, following an outbreak of the Norovirus winter vomiting bug. 

And as of this Monday afternoon, there have been three confirmed cases of the virus at the Dooradoyle hospital, with a number of other patients showing symptoms. 

A spokesperson for the UL Hospitals Group has said that, with immediate effect, a ban on visiting to wards 3A and 1A has been put in place. 

“Elsewhere in the hospital, it is necessary to restrict visitors to one person per patient only and to remind members of the public that visiting hours are from 2pm to 4pm and from 6pm to 9pm only and are to be strictly adhered to.

“Members of the public are reminded not to bring children on visits anywhere in the hospital. Parents visiting children are unaffected by the restrictions but are advised not to bring siblings.”

The spokesperson said that it “regrets any inconvenience caused to patients and relatives by these necessary measures, which are being taken in the interests of patient care”. 

@ULHospitals experiencing high numbers of patients to our emergency dept,also norovirus "winter vomiting" outbreak Please use alternatives see your GP, attend our local injuries unit at Nenagh Ennis or St. John's and avoid UHL unless acutely unwell. @FintanYTWalsh @limerickpost

— Colette Cowan (@colettecowan1) November 26, 2017

“All infection control measures are in place and every effort is being made to manage and contain the spread of the virus. Patients are being isolated as appropriate and a number of beds have been closed to admissions in accordance with IP&C protocols. This is expected to impact on  bed capacity over the coming days as the situation is managed.”

People with symptoms, including abdominal pain and nausea followed by diarrhoea, are advised to contact their GP by phone, in the first instance, and “avoid presenting at the Emergency Department at UHL”.

“UHL has been experiencing a high number of patients attending the ED in recent days.  We have admitted a lot of seriously ill patients recently, many of who remain in the ED awaiting a bed.”

People are also asked to attend any of local injury units in St John’s, Nenagh or Ennis. 

“However, if you are seriously injured or ill or are worried your life is at risk the ED will assess and treat you as a priority.”