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Many hospitals are experiencing a “crisis situation” despite the reduction in the number of Covid-19 cases, according to the Director of Operations of the Executive of the Health Service.
Last night there were 1,803 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals across the country, 145 compared to the situation yesterday morning.
The number of ICU patients with coronavirus has also dropped by two, to 217.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Anne O’Connor said that the high number of ICU patients coupled with a high level of absenteeism means there are huge demands on the healthcare system.
He said that around 350 nurses have been relocated to intensive care units and there are still large numbers of patients outside of ICUs who also receive intensive support.
There are 30 free adult ICU beds in the entire system.
The hospitals with the most cases are University Hospital Waterford with 125 patients, Cork University Hospital with 124 and St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin with 119.
Limerick University Hospital has reported a significant reduction in Covid-19 patients treated there: 112 compared to 148 yesterday.
There are 19 patients with the virus in the ICU.
Ms O’Connor said that the pandemic is exhausting for people both psychologically and physically and the HSE has a number of supports to assist staff.
Last night, the National Public Health Emergency Team said the number of cases at the hospital had stagnated, but it would take many weeks for them to drop.
The Health Department was notified yesterday of seven more Covid-related deaths and 1,372 new cases.
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Previously, the Director of Bioethics of the Department of Health said that decisions must be made on how to allocate Covid-19 vaccines, because resources are currently scarce.
Dr Siobhán O’Sullivan said that increasing age is one of the clearest risk factors associated with dying or becoming seriously ill from Covid, so this population cohort will be prioritized and most countries have groups priorities similar to those of Ireland.
Dr. O’Sullivan said that it is not yet known whether the vaccine stops transmission of the virus.
If not, he said, it would make sense to vaccinate the younger age groups that are more social and may be more likely to transmit it, but all factors are being reviewed.
Yesterday, the chair of the NPHET Epidemiological Modeling Advisory Group said there has been “continuous rapid improvement” in the incidence of the disease, but cautioned that the number of hospitals can be expected to “remain high for many weeks.”
Professor Philip Nolan said the number of close contacts associated with the confirmed case remains low. They have been below 2.5 since the beginning of January.
Deputy Medical Director Ronan Glynn said there is no evidence that a variant of the virus, which was first detected in Brazil, has reached Ireland yet.
It comes as the Cabinet meets today to consider whether to extend the current Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions until early March, as well as introduce a limited form of mandatory quarantine for certain visitors.
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that the schools will gradually reopen starting in February, starting with special education classes.
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