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If the growth in the number of coronavirus cases here continues as it is, we are heading for a serious national problem.
Cting’s chief medical officer, Dr. Ronan Glynn, issued the warning at this afternoon’s Covid-19 briefing, as 429 new cases of Covid-19 were identified across the country, while there was one more death.
The breakdown by country showed 189 cases in Dublin, 60 in Cork, 31 in Donegal, 28 in Galway, 18 in Kildare, 15 in Wicklow, 15 in Clare, 12 in Limerick, nine in Meath, eight in Louth, seven in Cavan, seven in Longford, six in Laois, five in Offaly, five in Westmeath, with the remaining 14 cases in 8 counties.
“It’s increasing everywhere,” Dr. Glynn said, adding that it was not simply an issue for counties in the Level Three lockdown or those previously identified as a specific concern.
New data released today by the Department of Health showed that the total number of cases of the virus in Ireland is now 36,169. There have been 1,804 deaths.
And the number of people hospitalized for the virus has also continued to rise.
It is now 130, while there are now 20 people in intensive care units, with four in the last 24 hours alone.
Professor Philip Nolan said: “I have the feeling that the combination of changes and restrictions that were applied in Dublin seems to have had an effect on the number of cases in Dublin.
“But at the same time, we have seen a very significant growth of the disease across the country.”
“An exceptionally important message is not to go out if you have symptoms.”
Dr. Glynn also expressed concern about the emergence of a “culture of blame,” especially on social media, which he said is hurting efforts to combat the virus.
“I am concerned about the emergence of a culture of blame, I think it is hurting the answer,” he said.
“People are looking for the next blame. There is only one thing we must blame: the virus. We need to unite against the virus.
“Social media is a very skewed image and it is not an accurate representation,” he said.
Dr. Breda Smyth pointed to a series of case studies of outbreaks in the west.
In one, 30 cases arose after a couple left for a weekend. They went to a house party where six out of eight people became infected.
The outbreak included an incident in which six people sitting at a table in a restaurant adjacent to one of those infected tested positive for Covid-19.
In another case, there were two student parties on the same night, both mixed, someone carried the virus and the result was 21 cases.
One of the infected attended a class at the university where 15 of the 26 in the class became infected.
Dr. Glynn said the message was not for young people not to socialize, but to do so by following the health advice.
“We want them to socialize. It is not sustainable that young people do not socialize ”, he said.
However, he added: “This is a message for all age groups.”
Dublin employers should make it easier for employees to work from home unless “absolutely necessary,” Dr. Glynn said.
Of the new cases today, 203 were men and 226 women, while 65% were under 45 years of age.
45 percent of the cases were confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or were close contacts of a confirmed case.
77 were identified as community transmission.
Online editors
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