Beaumont Hospital in Dublin has urged people to avoid all non-essential visits due to an outbreak of norovirus – commonly called the winter vomiting bug.
A hospital spokesman said a total of 42 patients had symptoms of the virus today, which include severe abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Some 38 beds are currently unavailable as a result of quarantine arrangements put in place to deal with the outbreak.
The spokesman said the outbreak is being “managed appropriately” but insisted on the co-operation of the public in dealing with it.
“So far we have refrained from imposing an all out ban on visiting but we may have to do that if people do not fully respect the existing restrictions,” he said
Under the restrictions in place only essential visits should be made with no more than one visitor per patient and between the hours of 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm. Children should not visit under any circumstance.
Norovirus is widespread in the community and symptoms normally last between 1 and 2 days.
