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LIMERICK has recorded a new daily high of 209 confirmed cases of Covid-19, as revealed by this teatime.
It means there have been 1,159 confirmed cases of the disease across the city and county in the last fortnight. This new daily high comes just two days after the previous record was set, with 203 new daily cases announced on New Year’s Eve.
The figures come after Professor Philip Nolan, chairman of Nphet’s Irish Epidemiological Modeling Advisory Group, said today that part of the backlog of confirmed cases of the flu-like illness will be announced tonight.
Medical director Dr. Tony Holohan says the incidence of the coronavirus is “as high, if not higher” than at the start of the pandemic in March.
Limerick’s 14-day incidence rate has also skyrocketed, from 506.4 yesterday, to 594.7 per 100,000 people this Saturday night.
It is well above the national average of 381.6.
Nationwide, the Health Protection Surveillance Center (HPSC) has reported the sad news of four additional deaths related to Covid-19. It has killed 2,252 people from the disease since the start of the pandemic last March.
Furthermore, there are now 3,394 new cases of Covid-19 nationwide. It means that the number of people who have had the condition is now 96,926.
Of the current new cases, 1,619 are men and 1,766 women.
About 65% are people under 45 years old, with an average age of 35 years.
The majority of the cases, 389, have been reported in Cork. Unlike most days, Dublin has the second highest number this Saturday, with 355 in the capital, followed by 355 in Dublin, 339 in Donegal, 258 in Louth and 233 in May.
The remaining 1,820 cases are spread across all other counties in the Republic, including 209 in Limerick, plus 98 in Kerry, 65 in Clare, and 59 in Tipperary.
As of 2:00 p.m. today, some 607 Covid-19 patients are hospitalized, of which 56 are in intensive care. There have been 71 additional hospitalizations in the last 24 hours.
Dr Holohan said: “The incidence of Covid-19 is as high, if not higher now than it was in March. All people must act as if they are infectious. Hospitalizations are increasing to levels close to what we saw in the spring. Everyone needs to stay home, except for essential jobs or care. “
“It is really important that the elderly and vulnerable do not leave their homes unless absolutely essential. This includes asking neighbors or relatives to run errands like grocery shopping, limiting all contacts to those with whom you live or you have to visit care reasons, “he added.
“We need to rediscover the spirit of solidarity and community that we saw in March and April so that we can all do our part in protecting the elderly and vulnerable. People particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 include older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer. “
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