Coronavirus: Cork hospital reschedules number of outpatient appointments

Outpatient appointments are being reduced/rescheduled at Cork University Hospital (CUH) from Monday to Wednesday inclusive as part of ongoing infection control measures.

Patients who will not be impacted and who are to attend as usual include persons who travel to the hospital for dialysis, the dressing and warfarin clinics, endoscopy, cystic fibrosis appointments, infusions and for chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

All other appointments are being rescheduled, unless patients are directly contacted by the hospital to attend their scheduled appointment.

Surgeries will proceed as normal unless patients are contacted by the hospital and advised otherwise.

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CUH has apologised for any inconvenience this may cause to patients. Visiting restrictions remain throughout the hospital.

CUH wish to thank the public for their patience and support at this time. The hospital will continue to keep the public updated.

The measures come following the identification of coronavirus in a middle aged male patient at CUH.

Authorities in Cork have been unable to explain how the patient contracted the virus making it the first community transmission of the disease. A patient in the Bon Secours Hospital in the city has also been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

The Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr John Sheehan has urged the public not to panic in the face of developments in the city and to take simple precautionary hygiene methods.

“People (who are worried about symptoms) should ring their GP. They shouldn’t go up to A&E and they shouldn’t go to the surgery. The full confirmation for coronavirus takes 48 hours but they get an idea much faster. Ordinary handwashing is as good (as sanitisers.) Soap and water works as well.

Ordinary hygiene methods such as using your elbow when you are coughing. Disposing of the tissues. People should refrain from hand shaking. All the ordinary measures,” he said.

Anyone with concerns about Covid-19 can contact the national helpline on 1850-24-1850. Information will continue to be available at www.HSE.ie/coronavirus