'Everybody is in the same boat': Relatives voice concern after 9 deaths in Clonakilty hospital

Looking towards a section of Clonakilty Community Hospital in Co. Cork. Picture Denis Minihane.

Relatives of residents in Clonakilty Community Hospital fear for their loved ones’ safety after the deaths of nine people there because of Covid-19.

The hospital is one of the deadliest Covid-19 clusters in the country.

But there are fears there could be more deaths among the remaining 86 residents.

A relative, who asked not to be named, told the Irish Examiner: “Everybody is very scared about what has happened.

“People fear if they are going to be next.

“While none of us can fault the care residents get at the hospital, it is an old hospital and there can be up to seven residents in one room sharing the same toilet.”

Another relative who also did not want to be named said: “It is hard not to fear for the worst.”

When the HSE first confirmed Covid-19 had entered the hospital, it announced a raft of measures that were put in place to deal with the situation.

A crack Covid-19 team of experts was drafted in to handle the outbreak.

The HSE has released further information about precautions it took early on in the Covid-19 crisis.

Addressing concerns that someone might have been transferred from an acute hospital with Covid-19 to Clonakilty, they told the Irish Examiner: “No one who needed to be in an acute hospital was moved to Clonakilty.”

The entrance road to Clonakilty Community Hospital (Mount Carmel). Picture Denis Minihane.

They say that once the first case of Covid-19 in Cork was confirmed on March 5th, strict protocols were introduced around discharges from acute hospitals to all residential facilities.

With very few limited exceptions, the HSE say there has been no visiting at any Cork Kerry Community Healthcare community hospital since March 20.

And they said: “Restrictions were in place before that time, including limiting visiting to certain times, reducing the number of visitors permitted and strict controls on hand washing.

The first tests for Covid-19 took place at the hospital in “early April”, say the HSE.

While they could not comment on how many staff or residents have tested positive for Covid-19, they did say that no staff have passed away related to the virus.

Issues over the number of residents sharing the same room were raised by health watchdog HIQA in January and by independent Cork South West TD, Michael Collins.