[ad_1]
The number of Covid-19 cases in Dublin will double every 14 days unless the public makes urgent changes to behavior, warned Acting Medical Director Dr. Ronan Glynn.
Public health officials are now warning people living in the capital to limit family gatherings, as new figures reported another 84 cases in the state, including 51 of them in Dublin.
The number of infections among older people has almost doubled. In the last fortnight, 89 people aged 75 and older have contracted the disease, twice as many as in the previous fortnight, according to a report from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
“It is up to individuals, families and communities to prevent this from getting worse. From that perspective, family gatherings, communion parties, baptisms, and other family events where multiple people come together, if possible, should stop for the next several weeks, ”Dr. Glynn said.
Three more deaths were also reported, bringing the number of deaths in the past five days to four. The deaths occurred in different parts of the country and are not considered part of a trend.
Vulnerable environments
Separately last night, it emerged that the Health Service Executive suspended testing for Covid-19 at food and meat processing plants due to capacity issues. Plants are among the most vulnerable environments in terms of the spread of the coronavirus since it reached Irish shores. There are four clusters in plants across the country, while more than 1,500 cases of the virus have been confirmed at those facilities.
HSE’s Midwest Public Health Director Dr. Mai Mannix said the suspension was taken “due to the increased capacity needed at this time to treat people with symptoms. . . The decision to resume testing for Covid in food processing plants will also be made at the national level. ”
Urging people in Dublin to limit contact, the chairman of the NPHET epidemiological modeling advisory group, Professor Philip Nola, said it is “essential” that further spread of the virus be prevented given the population size of the NPHET. capital.
The disease is spreading because people are not protected with friends at home, although they are careful around strangers, he suggested.
However, officials gave no indication that they are contemplating further immediate restrictions in Dublin, but NPHET will review the epidemiological situation at its meeting Thursday.
Cases have been identified in 54 schools since they returned 10 days ago, the briefing heard, but most involved community transmission, authorities said. In only one school an additional case has been identified so far.
[ad_2]