Beaumont Hospital has reissued its appeal to visitors to stay away from its wards as the serious outbreak of the winter vomiting bug that has hit the hospital continued to affect patients.
In the past two weeks, 192 patients and 102 staff have been affected by the norovirus. Seventy-five patients were suffering from the bug yesterday.
The hospital has barred all visitors from the emergency department, while others are being permitted only if they are pre-authorised.
Non-urgent inpatient elective procedures have been cancelled, and the hospital's management has called on people to go to their GPs where possible rather than the emergency department.
"As the HSE has pointed out in its 'Use the Right Door' campaign, for a patient whose needs are not urgent a visit to the GP or pharmacist may be an easier and faster way to get the right type of help or advice," the hospital said.
Yesterday, St Vincent's Hospital announced it was placing restrictions on visitors and asked that children be kept away from the hospital after 50 patients throughout its wards fell victim to the virus.
The Mater Hospital, Tallaght Hospital, Naas General, Mid Western Regional Hospital, Ennis and Midlands Regional Hospital and Mullingar have also restricted visitors.
The HSE issued advice to the public this evening, urging people to restrict visitors to one at a time if the visit was necessary, and to clean their hands as often as possible while in the hospital.
"We recognise that visitor restrictions have an impact but they are very important in helping us to address this virus. I would appeal therefore for everyone to cooperate with the individual restrictions in place at this time including the hand washing requirements," a spokesman said.
"While this is obviously a very serious matter, we are confident that each of the hospitals affected are taking the appropriate measures (infection control teams in each location are implementing appropriate measures as per policy) and managing the situation at this time."
