ELEVEN RESIDENTS OF a nursing home in north Co Dublin have died with Covid-19 during a recent outbreak. 

The HSE confirmed in a statement this evening that during the current outbreak at Lusk Community Nursing Unit, 13 residents have died, 11 of whom are confirmed to have had Covid-19. 

“This is an incredibly difficult time for residents, their families and everyone working in Lusk Community Nursing Unit,” the HSE said.

“We encourage family members or members of our team with any questions to contact us directly.” 

The HSE’s statement said a significant number of both patients and staff at the home “remain affected by Covid-19 and every measure is in place to support them at this time”. 

The HSE said its community health organisation for Dublin North City and County is continuing to work closely with the Department of Public Health and the nursing home “to ensure all necessary supports are in place”. 

The first round of the Covid-19 vaccination programme has been completed at the nursing home. The HSE confirmed there were a number of positive Covid-19 cases on the day the vaccination clinic took place but that the clinic was “delivered in line with public health guidance”. 

“All residents and staff who consented and were deemed medically fit were vaccinated on the day,” the HSE said.

The most recent letter to the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly from the Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan, dated 14 January, states that at that point there had been 182 deaths notified with a date of death in January.

Of the 182 deaths in January, 23 had been associated with hospital outbreaks and 38 had been associated with nursing home outbreaks.

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Holohan said in the letter that there were 132 open clusters associated with nursing homes, of which there had been 91 linked deaths and 1,690 linked cases.

Public health officials this evening reported a further 2,371 cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. 

An additional 52 deaths have also been confirmed in the latest figures released this evening by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). 50 of these deaths occurred in January, NPHET said.

In total, 184,279 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Ireland, along with 2,870 deaths.