The management at Portiuncula Hospital has asked that people refrain from visiting patients at the facility following an outbreak of norovirus, more commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, in two wards.
There is an increased incidence of vomiting and diarrhoea illness both in the community and in the hospital at the moment, and Portiuncula is currently admitting more patients with these symptoms.
The hospital’s management has asked that people experiencing symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea contact their GP or GP out-of-hours service, and refrain from attending the emergency department unless absolutely necessary.
The hospital has put precautionary control measures in place to reduce the risk of norovirus spreading to other patients and to other wards.
Elective surgery and day cases for Thursday and Friday have been deferred as a result of the outbreak, and patients are being notified.
“In order to prevent the spread of norovirus within the hospital and to make sure that visitors don’t spread the virus into other areas of the hospital, we are asking for the public to assist us and to refrain from visiting the hospital until further notice,” a spokesperson for Portiuncula said.
“We are not permitting visitors to the two wards affected by norovirus, St Joseph’s ward and St John’s Ward. In exceptional circumstances we will make arrangements for members of families of critically ill patients to visit these wards and this will be arranged through the nurse on duty in the ward. I would like to thank the public for their understanding and co-operation.”
