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The executive director of the Irish health service described the increase in hospitalizations for Covid-19 as “a very worrying trend” and called on the public to take all necessary measures to protect friends, family and healthcare workers.
HSE chief Paul Reid tweeted Monday night that there are currently 90 people being treated at the hospital for Covid-19, including 19 people in the ICU, a sharp increase from the 23 hospitalizations and eight patients from the ICU four weeks ago.
“This is a very worrying trend,” warned Mr. Reid. “Please ignore noises that are transmitted otherwise. We all have to protect our family, friends and healthcare workers from being the next issue. Please let us do it. We can.”
In another tweet, Reid said that 85,000 tests had been conducted in the past week, but cautioned that the tests “do not provide us with an ‘armor’ against the virus. Our first line of defense is ourselves and what we do. It’s serious again, but we can also turn it around. “
Official data released on Tuesday shows that there are currently 90 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Irish hospitals and 96 suspected cases. There are 17 confirmed cases receiving treatment in the ICU and another eight patients in the ICU with suspected Covid-19. Of the confirmed cases in the ICU, nine are connected to a ventilator and of the suspected cases, three are using a ventilator.
Concerns about the hospital admission rate are mounting, as even a relatively low number of Covid-19 cases disrupt normal procedures. Intensive care consultant John Bates urged the HSE on Tuesday morning to ensure that non-Covid-19 treatment continues in hospitals despite rising cases of the virus.
‘Small but steady increase’
Dr Bates told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland program that the “small but steady” increase in cases in recent weeks was cause for concern heading into the winter months. The “business as usual” of flu and other ailments will start to pick up shortly, he warned.
Tonight there are 90 people hospitalized, 19 in the ICU (23 and 8, 4 weeks ago). This is a very worrying trend. Please ignore noises that are transmitted in another way. We all have to protect our family, friends and healthcare workers from being the next number. Please let’s do it. We can # COVID-19 @HSELive
– Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) September 21, 2020
Dr. Bates added that if there is a further increase in Covid-19 cases, it would have a significant impact on non-Covid patients. Waiting lists had already increased substantially because hospitals had focused on Covid-19 care earlier this year, he said. “We need to continue the work that is not Covid-19.”
The Irish Association of Hospital Consultants said this week an additional 2,000 hospital beds were needed almost immediately and investment was required to increase space in hospitals and allow for social distancing.
However, HSE clinical director Dr. Colm Henry said that more intensive care beds were not the solution to the spread of Covid-19 and that the state should not rely on beds “as a line of defense.”
The only way to prevent the spread of the virus is to limit contacts, Dr. Henry told Newstalk Breakfast. Trained staff and the availability of specialized equipment, such as ventilators, led to a 79 percent recovery rate earlier this year, he said.
However, Dr. Henry acknowledged that more beds are still urgently needed. “Yes, we absolutely need more beds, they were at a measly 225 and now we have 278 beds.”
Dr. Henry said there were some delays in the arrival of the flu vaccine, but more batches with sufficient quantities for the population would arrive soon.
He said that the HSE was looking ahead to winter and planning an increase in respiratory illnesses that could mimic Covid-19.
When asked if Christmas should be canceled, he said “It should never be canceled, but it will be in a different way.”
Other restrictions
The number of people infected with Covid-19 is expected to continue to rise in the coming days and the issue of further restrictions in Dublin and other counties will be considered later this week and early next week.
The numbers will be closely monitored in various counties over the next few days, and Kildare will be a particular concern, it is understood, as officials and ministers consider extending the Level 3 restrictions currently in place in Dublin. Officials say they are particularly concerned about Louth, Waterford, Limerick, Kildare, Leitrim, Donegal, Offaly and Wicklow.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) reported an additional 188 confirmed cases of the virus on Monday night, 76 of them in Dublin.
This brings to 33,121 the total number of cases linked to the virus in the Republic. No new deaths were reported, leaving the total number of deaths at 1,792.
Of Monday’s cases, 25 are in Cork, 21 in Donegal, 16 in Kildare, 13 in Galway, seven in Roscommon and seven in Waterford, with the remaining 23 cases spread across 12 counties.
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