AUTHORITIES AT BEAUMONT Hospital in Dublin have introduced severe visitor restrictions and urged visitors to avoid travelling to the hospital unless absolutely essential, following a suspected outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.

Patients will be allowed only to take one visitor at a time between the hours of 6pm and 8pm, while child visitors will not be permitted at all.

Additional visitors will not be allowed, and visitors have been told to avoid visiting the hospital if they have suffered from diarrhoea or vomiting in the 48 hours before their visit.

The restrictions apply to Beaumont Hospital as well as St Joseph’s Hospital, Raheny and the Raheny Community Nursing Unit.

The hospital said it hope visitors would observe the restrictions “for the common good”.

“Beaumont Hospital would like to acknowledge the co-operation and support of the public in advance for their cooperation with regard to visiting restrictions.”