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Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan has said that given the current record levels of Covid-19 transmission in the community, all people should be considered potentially infectious and behave accordingly.
He pointed out that if a person were exposed to the virus on Christmas Day, it would be more contagious for the people they meet today, New Year’s Eve.
This, he said, poses a serious risk of significant additional spread of the virus and urged people to stay home for reasons other than work or essential care.
His comments built on yesterday’s record daily case numbers showing 1,718 new infections, as well as news from the HSE that his contact trackers called 2,000 people on Wednesday alone to inform them that they had tested positive for the virus.
HSE CEO Paul Reid said the rapid increase in cases means HSE’s worst concerns have materialized.
He said it is a very alarming and high-risk situation with extreme concern about a rapid increase in hospitalizations for Covid-19 in the coming weeks.
It comes as the government announced a move to full Level 5 restrictions over a four-week period to try to address the rise in coronavirus infections across the country.
Meanwhile, there were 466 people being treated at the hospital for Covid-19 at 8 p.m. last night, up from 253 at the same stage last week, according to the Daily Operations Report released by the HSE.
That grand total includes 39 Covid-19 patients in intensive care, which is up from 25 patients on Wednesday night last week.
The report shows that Beaumont Hospital in Dublin had the highest number of Covid patients, with 69.
St Vincent’s Hospital, also in Dublin, was the second highest with 39 patients.
Letterkenny Hospital in Co Donegal and Tallaght Hospital in Dublin each had 38 patients, while Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar was the next highest with 29 cases.
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