There is an influenza outbreak at St. James’s Hospital, Dublin.

The hospital has the evening warned that “in the interest of public safety, visiting this week has been strictly restricted.

“Friends and family of patients are kindly requested to defer from all non-essential visits. No children will be admitted.”

The hospital emergency department remains open, although the hospital has requested that people with flu like symptoms attend or phone their GP in the before travelling to the hospital emergency department.