The Saolta Hospital Group say there has been a significant increase in the number of people presenting to the Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital and an increase in the number of patients with COVID-19, resulting in long wait times at the ED.
As of 8pm last night, 19 patients with the virus were being treated at the hospital.
In a statement, the Saolta Hospital Group say Letterkenny University Hospital has seen a significant increase in patients presenting to the hospital, many whom they say are very sick and need to be admitted to the hospital for treatment.
In addition the hospital is caring for an increased number of patients with COVID-19.
The hospital has acknowledged that long waiting times being experienced from being admitted at the Emergency Department to a bed on a ward are very difficult and have apologised for the inconvenience and distress caused.
People are being asked to contact their GP or NoWDOC GP Out of Hours service in the first instance if they are a non-urgent case.
The number of people waiting on a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning has trebled.
27 people are awaiting a bed at the hospital, up from 9 yesterday.
According to the INMO’s latest Trolley Watch report, 11 people are in the Emergency Department waiting on a bed while 16 patients are waiting on wards elsewhere in the hospital.
Elsewhere in the North West, 17 people are waiting on a bed at Sligo University Hospital, 13 people in the ED and 4 on wards.
Nationally, 240 admitted patients are waiting for beds.
