New visiting restrictions at Limerick hospital due to Covid outbreak

NEW visiting restrictions at University Hospital Limerick have been announced this Sunday afternoon as staff "manage an outbreak of Covid-19".

A spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group said three wards are currently affected.

"However, as a precautionary measure, we are now restricting visiting on all inpatient wards at UHL. Restrictions on visits to the Emergency Department, Acute Surgical Assessment Unit, and Acute Medical Assessment Unit at UHL also remain in force.

"We regret any inconvenience this visiting ban causes for patients and their loved ones. Our outbreak control team has convened and hospital management has decided it is now necessary to impose these measures in the interests of patient safety and keeping essential services open for all our patients," said the spokesperson.

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UL Hospitals Group wishes to reassure patients and their loved ones that "all appropriate infection control precautions are being followed to minimise the risk of spreading infection among staff and patients within our health facilities, and also within the wider community".

The only exceptions to the visiting ban are: parents visiting children in hospital; people assisting confused patients (e.g. dementia) (on a case-by-case basis); people visiting patients who are critically unwell or at end of life (on a case-by-case basis)

"All these exemptions are limited to one person per patient only.

"We are also appealing to members of the public not to visit their relatives / loved ones outdoors on the grounds of the hospital as this can also present a Covid-19 transmission risk," said the spokesperson.