HSE reports ‘around 100 cases a day’ from people with 20-30 close contacts

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER of HSE warned that Covid-19 now presents a “very alarming” challenge to the health service following a spike in cases over Christmas.

Paul Reid said that the rapidly growing number of cases and the large number of close contacts had led to “an unprecedented and toxic combination of potential scenarios” and had made the health service’s worst fears about the virus a reality.

It revealed that the HSE now listens to around 100 Covid-19 patients a day who have between 20 and 30 close contacts.

Reid claimed that the current situation will push Ireland’s test cap to capacity in the coming days, with the system approaching the point of “diminishing returns” due to how quickly Covid-19 is spreading and the growing number of contacts. close.

“You just can’t develop the capacity to chase and follow what’s happening in the community right now,” he said.

He added that only compliance with social restrictions was needed to help stop the transmission of the virus.

“Many of our worst concerns that we would have outlined before Christmas have now come true,” Reid said.

“That’s what I describe as an unprecedented and toxic combination of potential scenarios, which is a high-level and rapidly growing number of cases, combined with levels of positivity that we haven’t seen in a long time.”

His comments came as the cabinet meets to discuss new restrictions across the country, and the Taoiseach is expected to announce a ban on home visits, the closure of gyms and nonessential retail stores, and a 5km travel limit.

Tonight, health officials confirmed thirteen deaths and 1,718 cases of Covid-19, the third time a daily record of case numbers was set in the last week.

In the weekly briefing this afternoon of the health service on its response to the pandemic it was heard that the reproductive number of the virus is now 1.8.

Clinical director Dr. Colm Henry warned that even a drop in the number to 1.4 would mean more than 2,000 new cases per day in mid-January and potentially 3,000 new cases per day by the end of next month.

“The situation right now is very alarming and high risk,” Reid said.

“We are all at extremely high risk in many parts of the country, indeed across the country, of becoming infected with the Covid virus.”

Niamh O’Beirne, the national leader for HSE testing and tracing, revealed that the health service had seen a 41% increase in demand for Covid-19 testing in the past seven days.

He explained how the positivity rate for tests, which was 5.2% on December 18, has risen to around 10% in recent days and to around 20% yesterday, adding that it is likely to rise further in the following days.

Contact tracing has also increased from 9,000 calls a week in early December to 45,000 calls a week.

The number of close contacts is also increasing daily, averaging six per confirmed case.

Colm Henry said Ireland was in a phase where there is “widespread community transmission and multiple outbreaks” across the country.

“I don’t think anybody would say that the status quo can prevail, because if it does it will increase exponentially,” he said.

The Taoiseach is expected to head into the country to describe the latest restrictions after 6pm.