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The HSE chief has issued a stern warning to vulnerable groups to be on guard against the spread of the coronavirus “rampant” in Ireland.
Paul Reid described the current COVID situation in the country as “worst case”, with the number of cases likely to reach 3,000 per day.
The executive director of the health agency said everyone in the country is at “extremely high risk” of contracting the deadly virus as the third wave sweeps across the country.
“It’s absolutely rampant in the community and we know that for a fact,” he told RTE’s Morning Ireland.
“Everyone is now at extremely high risk of contracting the virus.”
Mr. Reid added that new daily infection numbers are reaching unprecedented levels, which could have an “explosive impact” on the health service.
“The real picture in recent days is probably close to 3,000 cases a day. That is the extent of the virus that we are dealing with.
“So when we get to these levels, we have a severe impact on a whole set of areas, and the volume exceeds what any system can handle.”
Hospitals had good capacity heading into Christmas, but the health chief warned that this could change dramatically with COVID-19 having a “disproportionate and detrimental impact” on the number of beds available.
Medical director Dr. Tony Holohan also issued an urgent warning this morning that the virus is now “out of control.”
tweeted this morning: “We have very high levels of community transmission of Covid-19.
“We find, test and track to isolate cases / restrict contacts like CONTAINMENT or ‘control’ actions. With the disease now out of control, we focus our public health actions on MITIGATION.
“Mitigation means that: 1. We focus testing on symptomatic. 2. Ask people with symptoms, who are waiting for a test / result or positive test to self-isolate for 10 days. 3. Track close contacts 4 Advise close contacts to restrict movement for 14 days 5. Have everyone else stay home to finish level 5.
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