A CORK HOSPITAL has revealed that a woman broke into an isolated Covid-19 ward on two separate occasions to take photos with a patient.
The ward, at Cork's South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH), currently has a ban on visitors, and according to internal sources, the woman managed to sneak in without being spotted by members of staff twice in two weeks, to visit a relative being treated for coronavirus.
She apparently snuck in to take photos with the patient before being thrown out, but returned less than a fortnight later to repeat the stunt - this time bringing a child with her.
She was once again kicked out of the ward and escorted off hospital grounds.
A spokesperson for the hospital confirmed the incidents, which happened last month during the height of the third wave of Covid-19.
"South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital can confirm that there were two minor security breaches at the hospital," said the spokesperson.
"The incidents were swiftly dealt with by hospital security and no patients or staff were impacted.
"All breaches are taken very seriously by hospital management who have reported the incidents to the appropriate authorities within the HSE.
"The hospital has robust safeguard measures in place to prevent unauthorised entry and limited access through one pint of entry."
Visits to hospitals have been extremely curtailed since the onset of the pandemic, but particularly for those looking to visit anyone in the Covid wards, which are - for obvious reasons - very infectious and potentially dangerous places to be.
SIVUH only permits visits in very particular circumstances, including an end of life situation, for example.
