The HSE has confirmed that all non-emergency surgery is being cancelled where possible in Cavan General Hospital due to overcrowding.
The HSE said they have been meeting with clinical staff to try to resolve the overcrowding.
They say they are trying to find beds in the community for five clinically discharged patients who are still in the hospital.
Management are also contacting other hospitals in the region to see if patients can be transferred to them.
The current problem, according to the HSE, is as a result of the 'sheer increase in activity' that the hospital has been experiencing, as well as the increase in people with Norovirus and influenza.
Almost 50 people spent last night on chairs, trolleys and beds waiting for admission to the hospital, according to the Irish Nurses' Organisation.
The INO said the situation in the hospital was deplorable.
It claims 49 people were waiting to be admitted this morning, including seven people who spent the night on chairs near the A&E Department.
The HSE said 33 people were awaiting admission to the hospital this afternoon.
Industrial Relations Officer with the INO Tony Fitzpatrick said the patients were packed 'head to toe' along corridors near the A&E Department.
There were 18 people on trolleys when the department itself was only designed to cope with seven.
24 patients were on trolleys and beds in other areas including day wards awaiting admission, he said.
Mr Fitzpatrick said in 2007 the HSE report on A&E Departments concluded that the one in Cavan was not fit for its purpose.
'Nothing has changed since then,' he said.
The figures are a record for Cavan and for any hospital in the northeast.
Earlier this week, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda went on 'protected call' due to overcrowding in its A&E Department.
That resulted in patients with medical or surgical issues being sent to other hospitals around the region, including Cavan General.
