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Widespread cancellation of hospital services is expected in the coming days, as the health system works to manage Covid-19 hospital admission rates “beyond any projection.”
The Irish Times reports that officials are considering suspending legal paperwork and other elective procedures, as happened during the first wave of the pandemic.
Political sources have also indicated that schools may remain closed next week due to the recent and “unsustainable” increase in Covid-19 infections.
The Chief of the Health Services Executive (HSE), Paul Reid, said he was “extremely concerned” about the potential impact of the pandemic on the health service.
The HSE is looking at a variety of options to ensure that hospitals can operate safely amid the increase in infection, he said.
Mr. Reid described the increase in hospital admissions and intensive care rates, which have doubled in one week, as “beyond any projection.”
HSE Clinical Director Dr. Colm Henry cautioned that even if current lockdown measures are followed, there could be 1,300 Covid-19 patients in hospital and 300 in intensive care by the end of the month.
However, Mr. Reid stressed that the health service “is not overwhelmed” and the augmentation capacity is not yet being used.
There were 643 free hospital beds, including 43 in intensive care, on Sunday morning, which Mr. Reid described as “nothing bad.”
On Sunday, 673 people were hospitalized with the virus, an 86 percent increase in one week.
With an additional 44 intensive care beds available in the private healthcare sector, talks between the HSE and private hospitals about additional capacity continue amid months of negotiations.
Reid said talks “moved forward” last week and that HSE is finalizing agreements with individual private hospitals on the provision of services.
Untenable
It comes amid fears the HSE may not be able to provide Covid-19 testing to people with symptoms due to the demand, focusing instead on vulnerable groups.
Ireland
Varadkar says ‘it is not possible’ to rule out more r …
A new daily record of 4,962 cases of the virus was confirmed on Sunday, pushing overall infection figures past the 100,000 mark.
About 10 percent of all confirmed cases throughout the 10-month pandemic have been reported in the past three days. The numbers are likely to rise further in the coming days, family doctor referrals have suggested.
Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan described Sunday’s figures as “not only unsustainable for the healthcare system, but also a deeply concerning level of preventable disease and suffering.”
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ronan Glynn urged people to think “like it’s March all over again.”
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