Hospital investigated after late report of almost 300 coronavirus cases

A hospital failed to notify health authorities of nearly 300 coronavirus cases within legal deadlines.

All the cases, some of which date back to mid-March, were reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Center at one time today.

The result was that the daily count of confirmed Covid-19 cases announced today is significantly higher than in recent days.

Medical director Dr. Tony Holohan emphasized that the 426 cases were not evidence of a “new wave” of infection, insisting that nearly 300 were related to the hospital’s unreported batch of test results.

Dr. Holohan, who did not name the hospital, said at the Covid-19 daily briefing that investigations were underway to determine what had gone wrong and to make sure it had not happened at any other hospital.

Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan said it was a legal requirement to report the test results immediately (Photocall Ireland / PA)

The total number of confirmed cases increased to 23,827 after the 426 were added.

An additional 10 Covid-19 related deaths were also announced today, bringing Ireland’s death toll to 1,506.

Dr. Holohan said that the unreported batch, and the distribution of those cases in the past two months, gave no reason to alter existing conclusions about the spread of the virus across the country.

But he added: “That is not me saying that this is fine.

“We want to encourage appropriate reporting and timely and comprehensive reporting, a high level of collection of all key information regarding all cases, and that we are informed in the most timely manner possible.”

He said that had been happening in the country “for the most part.”

“We have an example here maybe where that didn’t happen,” he said.

“It does not lead us to change our conclusions in general terms.”

He noted that the requirement to notify authorities about infectious diseases was in legislation dating from 1947.

“The vast majority of hospitals have taken responsible and legally binding action to report these cases,” he added.

A woman walks past a coronavirus mural outside the Devitts Pub on Camden Street, Dublin (Niall Carson / PA)

The CMO said it was not the time to talk about “consequences” for those responsible for the delay in reporting, and insisted that it was more important to establish the facts and ensure that it would not happen again.

He said he could not be sure that the required contact follow-up had been carried out for the cases that tested positive at the hospital, but expressed the hope that it had been done.

“I would like to think that the necessary follow-up of contacts in the hospital environment by the occupational health teams could have been carried out, but I do not know this as a fact,” he said.

The cabinet will meet on Friday to discuss whether to continue with phase one of Ireland’s closure exit plan as scheduled for Monday.

The ministers will consider the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team, which met today to finalize its recommendation.

Dr. Holohan, who chairs the Nphet, declined to indicate what recommendation the team had made to the cabinet during the media briefing tonight.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland)

Earlier today, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the government is “increasingly confident” that Ireland will be able to move to phase one on Monday.

“While each death is troubling, in the past seven days we have seen the fewest daily deaths and cases since March,” he said.

“The crucial thing is to keep doing the right thing, stick to the strategy and stay focused, wait and look for new groups and outbreaks.

“This virus is a retreating fire. We must quench every spark and kill every ember.

“It is worth remembering that we are still in phase zero. All things are going to plan, phase one will start, if and only if it’s safe to do so.

“The moment we assume that our progress through the phases is inevitable, we risk going backwards.”