Visiting restrictions have been put in place at St Luke Hospital in Kilkenny.
Management says it’s due to a high numbers of people coming in with the flu.
Visiting is restricted in all areas of the hospital except if visiting children or those who are critically ill.
The HSE says that anyone with flu-like symtoms in the previous four days should not go to the Hospital even if they had scheduled outpatient appointments.
The INMO says there were 41 people on trolleys in St Luke’s Hospital today.
That figure is part of a national record high of 612 even though these problems are predictable and avoidable.
The Full HSE Public Notice is as follows:
Due to a high incidence of admissions through the Emergency Department and AMAU of people suffering from influenza, St. Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny is imposing visiting restrictions across all areas of the hospital from today.
As of now, visiting is restricted to all areas of the hospital except if visiting children or those who are critically ill in ICU/CCU/Stroke Unit. Only parents are authorised to visit children at the hospital pediatric unit. Visiting in the maternity unit is limited to partner /next of kin.
The hospital has appealed to members of the public to only visit the hospital if it is absolutely necessary and not to visit if they have had flu-like symptoms in the previous four days.
People with flu-like symptoms are advised to telephone or visit their GPs, in the first instance, rather than presenting at the hospital’s Emergency Department or AMAU. In addition people due to attend the hospital for an outpatient clinic appointment etc during the current week who may have symptoms of flu are advised to check with the hospital before attending as an appointment may need to be rescheduled in order to prevent further spread of flu to both staff and other outpatients.
We would encourage relatives and friends to contact patients on their mobile phone if feasible rather than visit the hospital over the next week.
