Varadkar warns of ‘precarious’ number of Covid-19 patients

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

The Tánaiste has warned that the outbreak of coronavirus cases in hospitals remains “precarious”.

Leo Varadkar said the struggle to contain the pandemic will continue over the coming weeks.

There are currently 1,838 people in hospital with Covid-19, a figure that is much higher than the first wave.

He urged people to support health staff by following health regulations.

“We need to decrease the number of people getting Covid and going into hospital, and that is the best way we can turn the corner in the situation,” he told the Dail.

“What is somewhat encouraging is the number of admissions to hospital yesterday which was 149 but the number of discharges was 128, so the net increase in the last day is much smaller than previous days.”

He added, however that there is a “glimmer of hope”.

“Cases have been falling now for a number of days, we may see the total number of people being hospitalised starting to fall in about a week’s time,” he added.

Mr Varadkar went on to warn that it will be a “very precarious and dangerous” time in the hospitals for the next two weeks.

Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said the situation in Ireland’s hospitals is continuing to deteriorate, adding that the daily figures makes for “grim reading”.

He said the latest reports shows there are 13 hospitals without any ICU capacity, and seven other hospitals have only one ICU bed left.

“ICU capacity, we are told, are expected to be used up by the weekend,” Mr Doherty added.

“I want to express my solidarity to all the staff and indeed the patients.

“The staff are facing something that is unimaginable.

“It is a very worrying time, they are overworked, they are exhausted, they are anxious about the period ahead and many of them are angry that they are left in this situation.”