The Midland Health Board says an internal inquiry is underway at the Longford-Westmeath General Hospital in Mullingar into the death of 16-month-old baby Cormac Nevin.
Cormac died from meningitis at the hospital yesterday. Just nine hours earlier he had been discharged following a series of tests which did not indicate a possible case of meningitis. The child returned to hospital later when his condition deteriorated.
A call for a review of the circumstances surrounding his death came earlier this afternoon from Longford councillor Barney Steele - an elected member of the health board.
Cllr Steele said he wanted to express his sympathy to the Nevin family on the tragic death of their son, and felt it would now be important that an immediate inquiry into the hospital's risk management programme be undertaken to fully allay further fears.
The child's family has thanked hospital staff who, they say, tried hard to save the boy's life.
They have expressed their gratitude to the staff for the kindness and compassion with which they were treated.
