CUH cancels all non-essential services after Covid-19 surge

Cork University Hospital has cancelled all non-essential services and appointments following a surge in Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours.

Cork University Hospital (CUH) has cancelled all non-essential services and appointments following a surge in Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours.

The hospital is this afternoon caring for 114 confirmed Covid-19 positive patients - up from 105 on Thursday evening, when it had the highest number of Covid-19 patients of any Irish hospital.

The figure has risen sharply in just a few days - with a surge of 21 patients alone in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday evening.

The Irish Examiner reported today that given how rapidly the Covid-19 figures are rising nationally, CUH was poised to trigger a tiered escalation plan which was devised during the first wave of the pandemic, but which was ultimately not required last April.

It has now been activated this afternoon, with the cancellation of all scheduled care services, inpatient, medical, surgical and outpatients.

The cancellation takes place with immediate effect until January 24, at the earliest.

Staff have been told that the hospital’s services will operate at “emergency levels only” during this period.

Arrangements are also being made to redeploy staff to support the intensive care units

In a message to staff, hospital CEO Gerard O’Callaghan has acknowledged the efforts of CUH staff and thanked them for their support and efforts in response to the unprecedented surge in Covid-19 admissions across the hospital.

But he said given the rise in the number of patients testing positive for Covid-19, the time has come for management to reduce footfall in the hospital, by minimising elective inpatient, day case/care and face to face outpatient attendances across all services, to prevent further transmission of the disease and to protect our patients and staff.

It is understood that arrangements are also being made to redeploy staff to support the intensive care units, and the specific Covid-19 patient pathway which has been introduced in the hospital, to keep confirmed or suspected Covid patients isolated from other patients.

As of yesterday, some 3,400 CUH staff had received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccination, with 630 staff vaccinated on Thursday alone.

However, almost 180 of its 1,300 nursing staff, and a further 30 of its 130-strong critical care nursing staff team were not available for work because they have Covid-19, are close contacts of a confirmed case, or are self-isolating.