Letterkenny University Hospital is dealing with an average of six new cases of flu every day as the crisis continues this week.
The public is being urged not to visit the building, as visiting restrictions remain in place again this weekend.
Seán Murphy General Manager Letterkenny University Hospital is calling for full cooperation with the safety measures, “We are appealing to people to co-operate with the visiting restrictions so that we can protect the many very sick patients in the hospital.
“We are seeing on average 6 new cases of flu in the hospital every day. Patients with flu must be accommodated in isolation to prevent the spread of infection and this is putting severe pressure on the availability of beds for other seriously ill patients who need to be admitted for treatment.
“We need the co-operation of the public to protect our patients and prevent the spread of infection from the flu and to minimise the chances of it being brought into the hospital.
“Our staff are working very hard to care for the many seriously ill patients in the hospital and we need to do everything we can to support them and protect our patients from additional risks of the flu virus.
“Anyone carrying the flu virus can spread it for 1-2 days before developing symptoms and up to 5 days after symptoms develop. You may be spreading the flu and not even know it.”
Family will only be allowed to visit in exceptional cases.
In exceptional cases only, family members may arrange with the ward manager to visit critically ill patients. To arrange a visit, please call the hospital on 074 9125888 and ask to be put through to the manager on the ward who will decide if a visit can be facilitated without compromising the welfare of the patients on the ward or the welfare of the visitors.
Mr Murphy added: “We are appealing to people to co-operate with hospital staff. Visitors who arrive without prior agreement from the ward manager will be asked to leave. This is a necessary to protect the many very sick patients in the hospital who are vulnerable to infection. It is critical that their care and treatment is not further complicated by the flu.”
