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The main building of St Loman's psychiatric hospital in Mullingar has been evacuated due to a bio-agent threat, allegedly from ISIS.

A member of the administrative staff at the hospital opened an item of mail addressed to 'Medical staff' which contained white power and a written threat which read 'ISIS is going to get you'.

As a result, Gardai have sealed off the main building - which houses just administrative staff.

The Army Bomb Disposal unit from Athlone arrived to the building at 5:30pm to examine and dispose of the powder.

(Image: James Flynn)

The building, which is ringed by thousands of residential homes and is located along the Mullingar to Delvin N52 road, close to the N4, had been put into lock-down since 4pm.

Up to a dozen members of staff who were in the administrative area when the package was opened have been quarantined.

The remainder of the building, which at one stage housed hundreds of patients, has been evacuated.

Gardaí and the Army are taking the matter very seriously and a cordon has been erected around the main hospital building with traffic diversions in place on the roads surrounding it.

Patients in adjacent buildings have not been evacuated as yet. The HSE could not be reached for a comment at this time.