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The Health Service Executive CEO has said that Covid-19 transmission is rampant and well above predicted levels, adding that testing and tracing is not the first line of defense against the disease.
Paul Reid said the public should stay home and reduce contacts. By doing so, he said, the country will have this under control.
Speaking on Today with Philip Boucher-Hayes, he said fear does not drive action and that it is within the power of people to change the situation and change it soon.
However, he cautioned that what people do today is important. Reid said the daily rate of cases is well above 5,000 and is targeting 6,000.
Reid said they are seeing a massive multiplier effect with rapidly growing cases, positivity and increased contacts, adding that transmission rates are well above any projection.
Testing capacity has increased from 100,000 tests per week to 175,000, he said.
Testing for those with symptoms is being prioritized and close contacts are being asked to restrict movement.
Mr. Reid said that GPs are overwhelmed with some centers having a 50% positivity rate.
He said that not everyone who wants to be tested can be tested, but those with symptoms can be tested.
Mr. Reid said that the Government will make decisions based on information from a wide range of experts and other sources.
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There are 744 positive cases of Covid-19 in hospitals, HSE Executive Director @PaulReiddublin He says @boucherhayes, adding that this increases by 20% per day.
There are 65 patients with Covid-19 in treatment in intensive care units | Read more: https://t.co/ZkLy8xhINn pic.twitter.com/dwg1sVSJKg
– RTÉ News (@rtenews) January 4, 2021
The number of hospitalized patients with Covid-19 has risen to 744, according to the latest official figures.
It represents an increase from the figure of 673 patients reported yesterday at this time.
In the last 24 hours, there have been 51 more hospital admissions for Covid-19 cases.
The highest number of patients registered at the hospital with Covid-19 during the pandemic here was 881, reported on April 15 last year.
The number of ICU patients today is 65, current figures show.
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