Tipperary University Hospital limits visiting hours as flu cases rise and beds run short

Management at the Clonmel facility announced that visitors were permitted today from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, with a limit of two visitors per patient during this period.

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The measure is intended to balance the need for patients to receive support from family and friends while minimising the risk of spreading illness within the hospital.

The hospital is experiencing a daily increase in patients presenting with flu and other respiratory symptoms. People who are feeling unwell are being asked not to visit, as this could pose a risk to patients already receiving care.

Children are also not permitted to visit under the current restrictions.

The impact of rising patient numbers is evident in bed capacity. Today, 13 patients admitted to Clonmel Hospital were being cared for on trolleys due to the shortage of available beds.

University Hospital Limerick is facing even greater pressure, with 36 patients currently waiting for a bed.

On a national level, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation reported that 176 patients across hospitals in Ireland are without a bed today.

These figures highlight the continuing strain on the health system as hospitals manage increased demand from seasonal illnesses, particularly flu and other respiratory conditions.

Hospital management has urged the public to follow visiting guidelines to help protect vulnerable patients, while staff continue to manage capacity challenges as efficiently as possible.

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