The Eastern Regional Health Board is understood to be considering asking hospitals in the Dublin area to free up beds for patients normally treated at Beaumont as the Winter Vomiting Virus continues to cause serious difficulties.
The winter vomiting virus outbreak at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital was worsened today and the hospital is now considering asking other Dublin hospitals to free up beds for patients normally treated at the under-pressure hospital. There are now 24 confirmed cases and 74 patients and staff are displaying symptoms.
The hospital has cancelled all elective and non emergency admissions and the hospital's accident and emergency department operating at reduced capacity. Two out of every three ambulances with emergency cases are being diverted to other hospitals.
The virus has now spread to 16b of the Hospital's 19 wards and eight members of staff, mainly nurses, have also contracted the bug.
The symptoms are similar to gastroenteritis and include vomiting and dehydration.
Beaumont Hospital has urged the public to visit unless absolutely necessary and said that children would not be admitted under any circumstances.