A children's hospital in Belfast has postponed all routine procedures to deal with "significant pressures."
Yesterday, December 6, a total of 214 children attended the emergency department at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, with the number of children attending with symptoms of bacterial and viral infections increasing.
In a statement, the Belfast Trust said the "difficult" decision was taken to allow staff to care for children with serious or time critical illness at this time.
Read more: PHA advice on what to do if you suspect your child has Strep A
They stated that they understand parents may be "very concerned" if their child is experiencing symptoms of infection, and urged all parents to check the Belfast Trust's online symptom checker for further advice.
It comes as cases of the bacterial infection Strep A have been increasing. On Monday, a five-year-old girl from Belfast died from an illness linked to the infection.
A statement from the Belfast Trust said: "The Children’s Hospital continues to experience very significant pressures with a total of 214 children attending the department yesterday. The number of children attending the Emergency Department with symptoms of bacterial and viral infections has increased.
"Unfortunately, we have taken the very difficult decision to postpone all routine procedures at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children to allow our staff to care for those children with serious or time critical illness at this time. We appreciate how difficult this will be for families and children and we apologise for the distress this may cause.
"We understand that parents may be very concerned if their child is experiencing symptoms of infection. We would encourage all parents to check the Belfast Trust online symptom checker where you can find quick, informative and trust worthy information about how to care for your child at home, support available from local pharmacies and GPs and when to bring your child to hospital.
"You can find the Symptom Checker on www.belfasttrust.hscni.net or alternatively visit the Public Health Agency website at www.publichealth.hscni.net for advice on managing group A strep infections."
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