There are 23 people waiting on a bed at Cavan General Hospital this morning.
761 people are waiting on trolleys in hospitals around the country according to the INMO.
Hospital management at Cavan General have issued an escalation notice asking those with non-serious illness to avoid the facility and to instead contact their GP or pharmacy for assistance. The local hospital says that despite the difficulties, it is still providing full emergency care if it is required.
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “Nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals are now working in unenviable circumstances in hospitals and community settings as they deal with chronic overcrowding in the middle of a widespread respiratory illness outbreak while national weather warnings are in place.
“It is inconceivable that we are once again talking about how high trolley figures are on the first Monday in January. This level of overcrowding when dealing with the level of flu and RSV that we have seen over the festive season was entirely predictable but there has been no plan in place by the HSE and individual health regions to stem the worst of it.
“Our members want to be able to provide safe care to patients but also be assured that their own health and wellbeing is being protected - neither are guaranteed when they are working in overcrowded conditions where respiratory infections are rife.
