People with flu are being urged to stay away from hospitals in Ireland

This follows the news that 612 patients were waiting on trolleys on Tuesday morning across the country.

People with symptoms of flu are being urged not to go to hospitals in Ireland amid one of the worst overcrowding crises the state has ever known. There 612 people on trolleys across the country on Tuesday morning as the number of flu sufferers doubled over the past week. The winter vomiting bug and a severe respiratory virus have made matters worse for emergency services. Certain hospitals have asked that people stay away from their emergency rooms unless absolutely necessary. A spokesperson for Tallaght Hospital is reported by the Irish Independent to have said: "The hospital's full capacity protocol is in place, and the public is asked to attend their GP in the first instance, where appropriate." Beaumont Hospital added: "Like many other hospitals across the country, Beaumont is requesting that patients with cold and flu symptoms who may be considering coming to the ED to first contact their GP." The Minister for Health Simon Harris admits that the country's hospitals are facing a "challenging time." According to the INMO, Tuesday's numbers marked a record high for the number of people on trolleys across the country. Harris says that nobody could have foreseen the flu outbreak, but insists that 1,000 new nurses will be recruited.