THE public has been warned to stay away from an Irish hospital because of overcrowding.
The HSE said only go to the A&E Department at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda if your life is at risk.
The hospital is suffering from extreme overcrowding[/caption]
There are currently 43 patients waiting for beds at the Hospital which has been battling a flu and Covid-19 outbreaks over the past several weeks.
There are also five people waiting for beds at nearby Navan Hospital.
The HSE said: “Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital has remained extremely busy over the last few days.
“There are a high number of patient presentations to the Emergency Department.
“The most critically ill patients are prioritised for treatment and available beds.
“As a result some patients may experience dalys in being seen. Patients attending with minor injuries will experience longer wait times in the Emergency Department.
“We would encourage the public to attend the Emergency Department for emergencies only at this time.”
Patients are advised to contact their GP and out of hours doctors on call if they are sick.
The INMO slammed the latest trolley surge nationwide and the HSE management had failed to plan to cope with it.
Meanwhile, the HSE has issued a major safety alert over four popular e-cigarettes – with bosses warning the public to “stop using these products.”
The seized items all contain illegal amounts of nicotine.
The HSE took to X to warn buyers not to use the products, as they are illegal under Irish law.
The e-cigarettes involved are the following:
- ADADA A8 1200 puff. Sub-brands (flavours): Vanilla Coke
- The Crystal PRO MAX 4000+ puff. Sub-brands (flavours): Watermelon Ice BatchNo. MAX20230407
- Savage Vape. Sub-brands (flavours): Kiwi Passion Fruit Guava 5% Nicotine
- McKesse MK Bar 7000 12ml. Sub-brand (flavour): Lime Mojito 12ml. Batch Number: Exp: 31/12/2023
Test results for the four products showed that the legal nicotine concentration was exceeded, with sample results ranging between 26.9mg/ml and 30mg/ml.
The legal nicotine concentration for electronic cigarettes in Ireland is 20mg/ml.
The HSE said: “Our National Environmental Health Service has issued four safety alert notices regarding e-cigarette products.
“We are asking the public to stop using these products because they contain illegal amounts of nicotine.
“People can return these items to the shop where they were purchased, and we have asked retailers to stop selling them.
“We have also contacted distributors and importers of e-cigarettes and refill containers to inform them of this issue.”
