A total of 18 people are waiting to be admitted to the Midlands regional hopsital in Mullingar this morning.
Management at the Westmeath facility is urging visitors to stay away unless absolutely necsarry and to not bring children if at all possible.
In a statement to Shannonside FM, the hospital says the hospital and ED is extremely busy and management apologises for the inconvenience to patients and their families and thanks the public for their cooperation at this time.
Management would ask the public, where possible, to telephone their GP/or pharmacist in the first instance to seek the best advice, rather than presenting at the hospital.
Regional Hospital Mullingar would like to assure people that anyone seriously injured or ill will be assessed and treated as a priority.
According to the INMO, nine people are waiting at Sligo University Hospital and two people at Cavan General.
