A NUMBER OF doctors are to be sent from Dublin to Cavan General after an outbreak of the coronavirus among staff members increased pressure on the hospital.

The Anglo-Celt reported this morning that a large number of staff are out sick with the coronavirus and that two wards at the hospital were closed following an outbreak of infection.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Today with Seán O’Rourke, vice president of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (ICHA) Laura Durcan said staff from other hospitals in the RSCI hospital group, such as Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, have volunteered to travel to Cavan to provide cover.

“This is unfortunately how this crops up in our hospitals, we have seen outbreaks in other places and we’ve had outbreaks in my own hospital,” she said.

“What we have been doing from our group is actually sending staff to Cavan to make sure they can be safely staffed over the upcoming number of days.”

She said some of their senior house officers and registrars have “very heroically stepped up” and will be heading to Cavan today.

Durcan said she believes up to eight junior doctors will “cover the gaps” in Cavan for the next four to five days.

In a statement, the RCSI hospital group refused to confirm the number of doctors and nurses who have become infected.

However it confirmed that its absenteeism rate has increased from 5.6% prior to the outbreak in Ireland to 12.2%. 

‘The hospital continues to have a number of staff off at present,” it said. The hospital said it has plans in place to manage the additional demands due to Covid-19.

Cavan General is the hospital outside Dublin with the most Covid-19 cases at 33.

According to the latest figures from health officials, 1,568 healthcare workers have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Ireland.