LAST UPDATE | 4 Jan 2021
HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed a further 6,110 cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
There have been six additional deaths of patients diagnosed with the disease.
This brings the death toll to 2,265, with a total of 107,997 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the country since the start of the pandemic.
Of the cases notified today:
As of 2pm today, 776 Covid patients are in hospital, of which 70 are in ICU. There were 92 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
There is currently a backlog in the number of cases being reported each day due to increased demand for testing and an IT issue with the HPSC’s system for recording confirmed cases. Health officials expect the backlog to be addressed in the coming days.
Data shows there were 6,486 positive swabs taken in laboratories between Saturday and Sunday morning with 5,199 positive swabs taken between Sunday and Monday morning.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has urged people to limit their interactions.
Speaking at a briefing this evening, Dr Holohan said NPHET “haven’t been as concerned at any point in the whole time as we are now.”
Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the Nphet’s Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said scenario models raise the possibility of 1,500-2,000 people in hospital, and 200-400 people in ICU by mid-January, “if we do not act to radically reduce transmission and incidence.
“It will take all of us, adopting the public health measures of staying home and reducing contacts, to suppress current levels of disease,” he said.
Professor Nolan said incidence of the virus is highest among 19-24 year-olds and that incidence in over 65s has been rising since late December.
It is estimated that Ireland’s 14-day incidence is between 700 and 800 cases per 100,000. “Right now the underlying level of disease is higher than the first wave,” said Nolan.
Liam Woods, who is the HSE’s National Director of Acute Operations, said the HSE is introducing curtailments in non-essential services in adult hospitals in order to cope with increasing Covid-19 admissions. He said this will be subject to ongoing review.
Professor Karina Butler, Chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee, said; “The vaccination programme has commenced for the first priority groups. The roll out has been accelerated this week.
“As we continue to provide vaccines across the population we urge anyone with concerns or questions to contact their GP, pharmacist or healthcare service provider for factual and reliable information. The HSE.ie website also provides reliable information around vaccine efficacy and safety.”
With reporting by Cónal Thomas
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