THE Eastern Health Board is investigating a possible outbreak of food poisoning in a Dublin hospital.
Some 45 staff and patients in St John of God's hospital, Stillorgan, developed gastro intestinal problems at the end of last week. The hospital suspected food poisoning and called in the EHB.
Members of the EHB's departments of public health and environmental health visited the hospital and took samples of food items for analysis.
The hospital said that staff had taken "appropriate action" to deal with the outbreak, and had taken all possible precautions. The 30 patients affected are now all recovering, and it is expected that the outbreak will have cleared by the end of the week.
The EHB said its officers are investigating the possibility that the food poisoning was due to contaminated food which originated outside the hospital.
Mr Ray Leonard, the secretary manager of the hospital, said the hospital was confident this would soon be officially confirmed.