Visiting to the affected wards is limited to compassionate grounds only, with arrangements needed in advance with the ward nurse manager.

The plan includes a major rebuild at St Joseph's Care Centre in Longford Town as well as a confirmation of a long awaited second hospice bed for the county.

They were taken to hospital as a precaution and the road remains open.

In many cases the delay in physical discharge was the result of a lack of step down beds or care facility openings.

According to the latest figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, 35 patients were on trolleys in emergency departments, with a further 17 in hospitals wards at Sligo University Hospital.

Nationally 558 people are waiting for beds in hospitals around the country this morning.

The HSE is reporting 2,644 cases of flu in the first week of 2024.

Hospital management say they are currently managing five COVID outbreaks on site.