The public's been warned to stay away from the emergency department at University Hospital Kerry, unless you're experiencing a genuine medical emergency.
The call from the HSE South West came this afternoon, as the hospital reported unusually high levels of activity.
The HSE is asking the public in Kerry to consider all possible care options - including GPs, pharmacists and SouthDoc out-of-hours services.
They say that when there's a large volume of ED attendances, patients are prioritised in terms of clinical need - and wait times for non-urgent care can be lengthy.
Patients arriving to the ED will be clinically assessed and seen in order or priority, so those with non-urgent presentations will be waiting a long time.
GPs can also access Urgent Virtual Care, a new regional telehealth service, which allows GPs and paramedics to consult directly by phone, or video call, with a senior medical decision-maker in emergency medicine or geriatric medicine.
They can then advise if a patient needs to attend the ED.
HSE Area Manager for Kerry Julie O'Neill says UHK is dealing with large numbers at the moment, and staff need to manage the pressure on the ED, so they can continue to prioritise those who are sickest.
