Visiting restrictions remain in place at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick in an effort to contain an outbreak of a multi-resistant bacterium called a KPC producer.
It is understood it is the first outbreak in an Irish hospital of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase, and seven patients at Limerick's main acute hospital have been affected.
It is a variant of the common bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae, which lives on the skin and in the mouth and digestive system, and can cause pneumonia and urinary tract infections.
The outbreak could have very serious implications for those patients who have underlying medical conditions, or whose immune systems are vulnerable or compromised.
A hospital spokesperson said that KPC-producing bacteria have presented major challenges for infection control as they are difficult to treat and are resistant to the majority of antibiotics, including penicillin. They are sensitive to just two types of antibiotic drugs.
The key to its control is prevention, and as a result a programme of intensive environmental cleaning has been undertaken in the affected wards.
Visiting restrictions have been put in place to try and contain the spread of the bug, and visitors are being asked not to visit the hospital, including its emergency department, unless it is absolutely essential.
The elderly, children, pregnant women, young adults, and those with chronic illnesses are asked not to visit at all.
