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In the Republic, nine more cases of the new strain of Covid-19 discovered for the first time in Great Britain have been detected.
Dr. Cillian De Gascun, director of the UCD’s National Virus Reference Laboratory, said late Friday that testing of samples dating from Dec. 23-29 had found nine more cases of the most infectious variant.
He said this brought the total number of cases identified by the lab to 16, out of 169 analyzed to date.
Dr De Gascun said on Twitter that the small number of cases identified would suggest that the UK variant, “in a proportion of less than 10 per cent”, was not responsible for the recent “significant and worrying” increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
His comments come amid ongoing concern about the rapid rise in the level of coronavirus infections across the state and fears about the impact on the health service.
On Saturday morning, HSE CEO Paul Reid said 581 patients were in the hospital with Covid-19, an increase from 51 at 8 p.m. Friday night. He said 50 were in intensive care. Reid said on Twitter: “We probably haven’t seen the worst impacts yet. But everything we do today to stop the spread of this virus makes a big difference. “
Another 1,754 Covid-19 cases were confirmed Friday night, but due to reporting delays, more than 9,000 new cases will be recorded in the coming days.
The Health Service’s executive clinical director, Dr. Colm Henry, told The Irish Times on Friday that measures to control the virus were already affecting the hospital sector. “There are more than 400 beds out of service in recent days,” he said, due to infection prevention measures “related in many cases to Covid-19 and, secondly, the impossibility of beds for staff” because the staff has Covid-19 or is considered a close contact.
Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan said, “Our healthcare system will not continue to face this level of shock.”
Vaccinations
Meanwhile, the state will examine whether the period between the two required doses of the Covid-19 vaccine could be extended to speed up deployment, as is being done in the UK.
Professor Brian MacCraith, chair of the state’s Covid-19 task force, said the group had discussed the issue of increasing the gap between vaccine doses in recent days.
“Following our discussions, a formal request has been issued for [Dr Holohan] apply for [the National Immunisation Advisory Committee] explore the topic and provide some guidance on it.
“Given that we want to be as ambitious and effective as possible, and given the backdrop of rapidly increasing numbers and our priority focus on the vulnerable in nursing homes and front-line healthcare workers, we have to consider all the options, ”he said.
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