Cases of RSV, COVID-19 and the flu are contributing to the overcrowding issues at University Hospital Kerry.
The hospital has appealed to people to only attend its Emergency Department in cases of genuine emergency.
UHK management is urging people to contact their GP, SouthDoc or pharmacist in the first instance, where possible.
However, if members of the public are seriously injured or ill, management says the ED is always available for them.
Consultant physician and clinical director at University Hospital Kerry, Dr Peter Browne says there are currently a 50% increase in the numbers presenting at the ED each day:
Dr Peter Browne says cancelling elective procedures means staff can be redeployed to more frontline areas of the hospital.
He says time critical surgery is going ahead; patients whose appointments are being cancelled are being contacted by UHK.
Dr Browne says there are expecting a peak in people presenting with the flu in two weeks.
He’s urging people who haven’t received their flu vaccine to get it:
