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HSE CEO Paul Reid at today's press conference.

HSE says just one meat plant where contact tracing is at '60-70%'

Minister Simon Harris said yesterday that there “are a number of cases in which there are contact and communications difficulties”.

THE HSE HAS said there is just one meat plant where contact tracing is only around 60-70% for those who’ve been diagnosed with Covid-19. 

At a press conference this morning with HSE representatives, director of public health at HSE mid-west Dr Mai Mannix said that workplace contact tracing is at 100% in affected meat plants and at about 90% in terms of community contact. 

“The information I have from speaking with my colleagues around the country is that this is about 90% complete in most instances – there was one facility where the estimate was 60-70%,” Mannix said.

Her comments come after Health Minister Simon Harris said that last night that contract tracing was proving difficult in around 30-40% of cases, although he didn’t specify if this was just in one plant. 

Dr Mannix said information is being provided to people in various languages, but there have been some issues in terms of phone numbers having an incorrect digit, for example, or people being reluctant to pick up the phone. In some cases, gardaí have helped to deliver information to people.

The majority of cases were male (77.6%) and aged 25-44 (58%), and most cases (88%) are out of the infectious period. 2.7% of people had to be admitted to hospital and seven patients were treated in ICU, but there were no deaths.

1,054 cases across 20 facilities have been confirmed to date – 15 facilities are still under active investigation, and in the other five it has been over 28 days since the last positive case.

Dáil

Speaking in the Dáil last night, Harris said that there were a number of cases where there are contact and communication difficulties.

In putting the question, independent TD Denis Naughten said that the lack of follow up with close contacts in an industry severely affected by Covid-19 is “creating a significant community risk”. 

In each of the last two weeks, the number of cases at meat plants has increased by over 100. In all, 27 of these workers have been hospitalised.

Union representatives and migrants rights organisation have said some workers in processing plants are not in a position to adhere to social distancing guidelines at home due to their living arrangements, with some sharing rooms with co-workers or even employees from other plants. 

Furthermore, unions have claimed that working conditions in meat plants have meant that social distancing is often difficult while at work. 

In the Dáil yesterday, Naughten told Harris: “With regard to the meat plants, I am informed that, in some instances, only about one third of the close contacts of those who have been identified as positive within the meat industry have been followed up.

“That is completely unacceptable. It is creating a significant community risk and it is, I believe, down to the failure to have an effective contact tracing system.”

Harris replied: “My information, for what it is worth, is that when it comes to contact tracing of meat plant staff, and I specifically asked this on foot of contact from the Deputy, the amount of contact tracing is much higher than one third and is between at least 60% and 70%, although there are a number of cases in which there are contact and communications difficulties.

We have a national outbreak team chaired by a very good doctor, Dr Mannix. I suggest that I put the Deputy directly in contact with her for a briefing on the work being done in regard to the meat plants, considering the Deputy has highlighted so many important issues.

With reporting from Órla Ryan

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18 Comments
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    Mute stephen kavanagh
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:12 PM

    I’m glad she’s mixing with all the great thinkers of the day

    356
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    Mute Uncle Monty
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:21 PM

    Bunch of tinkers alright…

    247
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    Mute Duck Knight
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:33 PM

    Smart move by Hillary. Sort out the idiot vote

    228
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    Mute Ryan Anthony
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:36 PM

    Seeing these ***res get pumped up PR wise makes me angry, I’d say I’d be even more so if I had daughters. Whats it teaching them? Don’t be intelligent, don’t work hard, don’t develop yourself don’t have a career plan, just accidentally on purpose release a porn tape of yourself naked taking a hammering from behind for the whole world to see, act dumb, ignorant and light headed, fake date a few famous guys being seen holding their hand on red carpets in front of dumb photographers and you’ll get $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$…do it the other way you can still make it…and be paid $0.70c for every situation where a man makes $1.

    You can even run to become the first female President after decades of hard work and compromise…and then some PR man will tell you that you have to associate with one of the ones who released a tape of herself being jackhammered and acted like a dumb sh111t as part of bringing in the youth vote.

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    Mute stephen kavanagh
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:40 PM

    So right Ryan, I simply wouldn’t bother if I was her, I’d sooner not be President, it smacks of desperation if she thinks that can get her the youth vote, most young people would see through that instantly

    50
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    Mute VinHeffer89
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:46 PM

    Sadly, many, many young people actually won’t see through that, Stephen.

    66
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    Mute stephen kavanagh
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:59 PM

    Maybe not Vin but they still won’t vote for her just because she took a selfie with Kim Kardashian. So she’s lost street cred with those who look down on the Kardashians – a sizeable demographic – without gaining anything in return

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:06 PM

    Even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day.

    18
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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:50 PM

    Since when do young people vote?

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Aug 7th 2015, 4:14 PM

    This will be long forgotten by the time that election rolls around.

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    Mute L-Plate
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:14 PM

    I think we a losing the concept of a selfie. What happened to a good aul photograph?

    82
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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:16 PM

    They may be lacking in the literacy department.

    42
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    Mute GuinnessPower
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:13 PM

    Seriously who cares.

    58
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    Mute LesBehan
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:29 PM

    I only have a vague idea who this is, I was never a big fan of Star Trek.

    56
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    Mute Daniel Dudek Corrigan
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:08 PM

    “Meanwhile, Kris Jenner also managed to get a selfie”

    No, that’s not a selfie…

    52
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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:15 PM

    Hurry up and post the Irish Water article about the lead pipes!!! It’s been on other social media all morning! What’s keeping the Journal??

    46
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    Mute Supernova
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:23 PM

    Everyone I read about the Kardashians or look at pictures of them I just shake my head

    43
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    Mute Jack DaCosta
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:32 PM

    What do Kim Kardashian and Hilary Clinton have in common?
    Answer:
    They’re both 99% false.
    Don’t mention it.

    39
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Aug 8th 2015, 12:33 AM

    They always seem to have new dresses unlike Monica?

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    Mute Andrew English
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:48 PM

    Wow. America is truly f*cked. I would be ashamed if I was American. Imagine having to stoop that low in order to get some publicity. The majority of that aliens followers on Twitter won’t even know who Clinton is. Probably think it’s a selfie before she goes on to the Ellen show.

    36
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    Mute James Reardon
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    Aug 7th 2015, 4:54 PM

    exactly, imagine our country voting for a president because she had a photograph taken with a woman famous for being a cum bucket. A good looking cum bucket. but still a cum bucket.

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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Aug 7th 2015, 4:55 PM

    The majority of Americans couldn’t give a fiddlers f**k about kardashian or clinton. or what others think of them.

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    Mute Infidel
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:21 PM

    Wow never mind her email scandal or her plummeting poll numbers. The journal has begun it’s fawning extra early!

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    Mute stephen
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:30 PM

    Is there no barrel Clinton won’t scrape?

    32
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    Mute Jack DaCosta
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:41 PM

    ‘Barrel’? (as in oil barrel)
    Subliminal puns.
    Very good Stephen.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Aug 8th 2015, 12:32 AM
    1
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    Mute thejynxeffect
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:25 PM

    Hanging out with Kim Kardashian? Great way to appeal to the braindead

    31
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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:28 PM

    Sure, but it was all forgotten 3.5 seconds after the event. Kardashian fans don’t have big attention spans.

    16
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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:33 PM

    Is anyone a little freaked out by by this alliance between the Kardashians and Klintons? What if they join forces with the Ronulans? They could be headed for the neutral zone as we speak!

    28
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    Mute Luke McDermott
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:21 PM

    This assault on the brain still isn’t as bad as the crap spewed by the GOP.

    25
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    Mute Ryan Anthony
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:24 PM

    Gotta love the Dems…they’re so weak and ashamed of being liberals they are willing to vote for anyone the establishment says is ”centrist”. So you have Hillary going about with progressive language and speeches so another 08 does not happen. When she bashes the too big to fail banks who are funding her campaign they respond to the WSJ’s questions with “don’t worry, we know she doesn’t mean it”…seriously they said that.

    You have a candidate faking working for the voters, a special interest group admitting that they’ve basically got the candidate bought and paid for in a major world newspaper…and yet this person is still the absolute front runner, that’s when you know you have a broken system!

    23
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    Mute tk0CXKzL
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:36 PM

    so basically idiots who care about the Kardashians are being influenced to vote for Hillary for no other reason than photos with her. So in a round about way, the Kardashians are influencing the vote as to who could have their finger on the nuclear button. This is how crazzzy the world has become

    22
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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:27 PM

    Ah crap, now I have to hate Mrs Clinton.

    22
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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:16 PM

    Kim who…… Why demean yourself hanging around with a wannabe

    20
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    Mute Luke Evans
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:25 PM

    rampant capitalist tr@mps

    16
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    Mute The Guru
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:25 PM

    Made out to be a spur if the moment thing. Sad fact is that this has probably been planned for months and even sadder it will probably have a very positive effect for Hilary.

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    Mute Garwig
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    Aug 7th 2015, 3:32 PM

    Bellends

    12
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    Mute Brian Lenehan
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    Aug 7th 2015, 5:26 PM

    Hang on… Fox News hosted a monster two-part Republican candidates debate last night (which may well determine the future POTUS) and The Journal stages a blackout of it. Instead they publish an article about the probable Democrat nominee getting photos taken with a family of talentless attention-junkies?
    The Journal just doesn’t make sense to me anymore.

    7
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    Mute John Reese
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    Aug 7th 2015, 7:02 PM

    Sadly this is what all young air head voters will care about…what celeb is supporting who.

    6
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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Aug 8th 2015, 11:05 AM

    FS.

    1
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Aug 8th 2015, 12:30 AM
    1
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