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Remote rural areas that have so far experienced few or no cases of Covid-19 are reporting surges of the virus, while hospitals are full of patients, prompting the Cork University Hospital (CUH) administration to urge the People not to attend their emergency department unless it is absolutely vital. .
Remote villages in West Cork, which had not had a positive case of Covid since the start of the pandemic, have seen a recent notable increase in positive tests, according to a GP.
Bantry’s Dr. Paul O’Sullivan believes that GPs and primary care will come under more significant pressure in the coming weeks due to the explosion of cases.
“Now I get case reports showing up all over West Cork, especially in villages that were previously case-free year-round. He’s talking about areas like Kilcrohane, Durrus and Ahakista, and places further west,” said Dr. O’Sullivan. said.
He described the latest surge as “something out of one of these Hollywood movies where people realize that nowhere is safe.”
“There is palpable fear everywhere now, as families with people visiting for Christmas test positive, locked in homes for the next several weeks uncertain about the future. All we can do now is limit the damage, and we’ll only see the benefit of that in two weeks, “he said.
A CUH spokesman said the emergency department has been “exceptionally busy” in recent days due to an increase in admissions and it is “regrettable” that patients treated there may experience delays.
He said the hospital administration has requested that the public contact their GP or SouthDoc in the first instance and explore all other options available to them before attending the emergency department if their needs are not urgent.
A spokesperson for the Cork Mercy University Hospital (MUH) said they are seeing an increase in admissions for Covid-19 in line with what is happening nationally, but that it is not currently overcrowded.
“However, due to the nationwide increase in hospitalizations of Covid-19 patients in recent days, MUH remains on high alert and ready for an expected increase in admissions of Covid-19 patients,” said the spokesman for the hospital.
Meanwhile, 1,500 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the Midwest region over the past two weeks, the vast majority in the Limerick area.
The increase in social gatherings during the Christmas period is blamed.
Dr. Mai Mannix, director of public health for the region, said they urgently need to reduce the number of cases in the coming weeks and, in the level 5 restrictions, “the best we can do is stay home and stand firm to protect ourselves and our vulnerable loved ones ”.
Dr Mannix said that people’s individual actions will now help save lives and ensure that the health service can take care of all those who will need care from both Covid and others.
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