ELECTIVE SURGERY CANCELLED IN BALLINASLOE AFTER NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK

Date Published: 08-Feb-2012

Elective surgery has been deferred at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe following an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.The HSE is currently notifying patients that elective surgery at the hospital tommorow and Friday will not take place. Visitor restrictions have also been imposed as a result of the outbreak. Norovirus or winter vomiting bug is present in two wards of Portiuncula hospital- St. Joseph's ward and St John's ward. The HSE say there is an increased incidence of vomiting and diarrhoea illness in the community and hospital settings at the moment and the hospital is currently receiving more patients presenting with these symptoms. The hospital has put control measures in place to reduce the risk of Norovirus spreading to other patients and to other departments within the Hospital. Elective surgery and day cases for Thursday and Friday of this week have been deferred. The public is also being asked to refrain from visiting the hospital until further notice.