One of the biggest Accident & Emergency units outside Dublin was forced to close this morning due to overcrowding.
Cork University Hospital was forced to admit only ambulance admissions as the level of patients presenting at the unit meant there was not space to treat more new arrivals. All 14 cubicles in the unit were reportedly full with 16 more patients on trolleys.
According to a hospital statement the unit reopened later this afternoon for all admissions. A new mutli-million Accident & Emergency Department is expected to open next month.