There has been an outbreak of the winter vomiting virus at Clongowes Wood College in Co Kildare. Martin Wall reports.
The Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) confirmed last night that it had been informed by the college that there had been a number of cases of "mild vomiting among students" in recent days.
A spokeswoman for the ERHA said it was awaiting laboratory confirmation of the type of virus which was causing the vomiting.
It said it had provided the college with advice on hygiene and general controls and that it was continuing to monitor the situation.
Specialist in public health medicine at the National Disease Surveillance Centre, Dr Paul McKeown, said the winter vomiting bug or Norovirus was extremely common and had absolutely nothing to do with poor hygiene or dirt in a premises.
It occurred where there were concentrations of people and between one and 3 per cent of the population are affected in a normal year.
