Restrictions on visitors remain in place at Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda, following an outbreak of the C-Diff superbug.

Tests this morning show that of 12 confirmed cases there, 10 patients now appear to be responding to treatment and their conditions are improving.

21 other patients at the hospital are suffering from diarrhoea, however 10 of those have tested negative for C-Difficile.

The HSE’s Clinical Director at Louth and Meath hospitals Dr Dominic O’Brannigan told breakfast here on Newstalk another illness could be to blame.

“So it maybe that we’re actually dealing with a second concurrent outbreak – possibly the rotavirus or the Winter vomiting bug” he said.

“We’re trying to see if we can keep these two groups of patients separate from one another, because if the two infections get cross over that can actually potentially have significant and fatal consequences” he added.