A hotel at the centre of a health board investigation has voluntarily decided to close for the weekend while a professional sanitation company disinfects the building.
The 168-room Ryan Hotel in Killarney decided to close after preliminary evidence that a viral infection had caused illness among guests.
More than 120 cases of a "highly infectious" gastrointestinal illness have been reported at the hotel, a Southern Health Board statement said yesterday.
Most illnesses occurred over the New Year weekend. Four people who were hospitalised have been discharged.
"The illness appears to be highly infectious. No cause has yet been detected. However, the evidence to date now suggests that it is likely to be viral in origin," the SHB statement said.
"Specific rigorous disinfection and cleansing" and control measures "to the highest international recommendations" were being carried out under the supervision of the health board's special outbreak control team at the hotel all week, the board said.
A specialist team had been put together to investigate and control the bug which confined many of the hotel's New Year revellers to bedrooms for up to 24 hours.
Local GPs became alarmed on December 29th at the high number of what they suspected were cases of gastroenteritis at the hotel.
Suggestions that more than one hotel in Killarney were being investigated by the SHB for illness were denied earlier this week by the health board.
Management at the Killarney Ryan said they did not wish to make a statement yesterday. The hotel will reopen on Monday, and alternative arrangements have been made for guests.