A number of hospitals, including St Luke’s in Kilkenny, are enforcing a ‘one visitor only’ rule, to help curb the spread of flu.
The latest figures show 410 cases were reported last week – almost double the amount reported the previous week.
At least 18 hospitals around the country are limiting the number of visitors to one per patient.
GP, Dr. Ilona Duffy says it’s difficult at this time of year, but necessary:
“We’re not quite seeing it in every hospital yet, but it’s likely that we will and people have to understand why, if you’re in hospital, if you’ve been admitted to hospital, you’re obviously fairly sick and to get another infection on top of that, especially influenza, really could compromise that person in hospital care, the patient’s care.
“We have to safeguard all of the staff or in the hospital too. So I think this is probably a sensible approach.”
