UHL visitor restrictions re-introduced to due Covid-19 outbreak

Photo © Pat Flynn

Management at University Hospital Limerick have been forced to re-introduce many visiting restrictions due to a Covid-19 outbreak.

Four inpatient wards are affected by the outbreak, but the decision has been taken to extend visiting restrictions to all inpatient wards there.

HSE figures from last night show 42 patients with Covid-19 were receiving treatment at UHL – the highest figure of any hospital in the country.

The only exceptions to the visiting ban are as follows:

– Parents visiting children in hospital
– People assisting confused patients (e.g. dementia) (on a case-by-case basis)
– Compassionate grounds e.g. for patients who are critically unwell or at end of life (on a case-by-case basis)

UL Hospitals Group is also appealing to members of the public not to visit their relatives/loved ones outdoors on the grounds of the hospital as this can also present a Covid-19 transmission risk.

The hospital is also managing exceptionally high patient numbers, and has opened surge capacity there and at Nenagh and Ennis Hospitals as a result.