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An UNSCHEDULED CABINET meeting will be held tomorrow to discuss the “rapid” and “exponential” growth of Covid-19 infections in Ireland and the UK, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said.
It comes as the number of people in Irish hospitals with Covid continued to increase dramatically overnight.
At 8 a.m. this morning, 409 people with the virus were in hospitals in the Republic of Ireland, according to updated figures posted on the government’s Covid data center website.
Last night, NPHET reported 359 Covid-positive patients in hospitals.
Confirmed cases of the virus in hospitals are now at their highest level since May 15.
“So just a week ago there were 234 Covid patients in hospitals. To date, there are 409, so that’s a 75% increase in just one week, ”Donnelly said.
Speaking in News at One on RTÉ Radio 1 this afternoon, the minister said that the Government and the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) are “very concerned” about the growth in the number of cases and hospitalizations in recent days. .
When asked if public health restrictions could be tightened in the coming days, Donnelly said the Cabinet “will review the measures that are in place” and “consider the restrictions in light of the increase in cases and hospitalizations.
The government is particularly concerned, he said, about a variant strain of Covid-19 that is prevalent in the UK.
“What we are watching very closely is what is happening in the UK because this variant, which appears to be much more contagious than what we have been dealing with so far, is driving very rapid growth in the UK.
“We are starting to see reports in the media about NHS hospitals starting to feel overwhelmed by Covid and Covid patients. Obviously, that’s not something we want to see here. So the cabinet will meet tomorrow, we will meet at 2.30pm, ”Donnelly said.
Third wave
Speaking last night, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that now more people have been hospitalized in the current third wave of the pandemic than during the entire second wave of infections in Ireland.
“We look at many metrics when monitoring the severity of Covid-19 disease. Today we report that we have exceeded the accumulated number of people hospitalized in this third wave than in the second, “he said.
Hospitalizations have increased dramatically in the past two days. This is a worrying trend that reflects the sharp increase in incidence that we saw in the last 10 days.
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Public assistance
Today, the first doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine are being administered in four acute hospitals: St James’ and Beaumont in Dublin, as well as in the university hospitals in Cork and Galway.
Phil Ní Sheaghdha, secretary general of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organization, said public assistance will be needed in the coming weeks as the vaccine rolls out.
“We are taking a turn in the fight against Covid, but now is not the time to lower our guard,” Ní Sheaghdha said in a statement.
It is extremely important for everyone to follow the public health advice in the coming weeks. It is clear that the number of Covid cases is increasing, putting pressure on our hospitals. The number of patients in carts today is increasing.
“Nurses, midwives and other health workers have been fighting this virus since March. They are tired, but they remain focused on protecting the public. “
He added: “All people in Ireland must consider the direct link between their actions and the pressure on our health service.
“We need this public assistance now that the hope for a vaccine is coming true.”
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