Two further hospitals in the Shannonside Northern Sound region have deferred services and clinics due to the rise in Covid cases in the community.
Face to face outpatient clinics have been deferred at Portiuncula University Hospital and Sligo University Hospitals for the next 2 weeks
A record number of people with Covid-19 are being treated in Irish hospitals today.
There's 921 patients on wards - up from 817 yesterday morning - and includes 76 people in ICU.
Locally two further hospitals have confirmed changes to their services for the next fortnight as Covid cases increase.
Portiuncula University Hospital (PUH) is deferring all but very urgent and time-critical inpatient and day surgery and outpatient clinics will continue as virtual clinics unless it is absolutely necessary for patients to be seen.
Sligo University Hospital (SUH) is also deferring all but very urgent and time-critical inpatient and day surgery
Outpatient clinics will also be canceled, however, some of these will take place virtually.
The deferrals in both facilities will be for a two week period initially and will be kept under review.
Commenting Grainne McCann, Hospital Manager at SUH says the hospital regrets the impact that these deferrals will have on patients but it is a really important part of maintaining critical and emergency services.
It's also expected that vaccinations for staff at SUH will begin this week.
