CMO and Health Minister hold meeting with Donegal politicians amid spike in Covid-19 cases in the county

Dr Tony Holohan and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly met with politicians from Donegal on Saturday evening. Picture(s): Colin Keegacn and Gareth Chaney/ Collins

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, Health minister, Stephen Donnelly and a number of TDs and Senators from Donegal have held a virtual meeting to discuss the high prevalence of Covid-19 in the county.

The meeting was organised on Friday after officials from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) noted that Donegal currently the highest incidence rate of Covid-19 in the country.

The 14-day incidence rate of the virus in Donegal is now 293.4 per 100,000 population - more than double the national incidence rate of 127.3.

According to Deputy CMO, Dr Ronan Glynn, Milford and Letterkenny have incidence rates of 675 and 640 per 100,000 respectively.

At Friday’s briefing, Nphet said the situation in Donegal was being driven by “persistent and reasonably widespread non-compliance” with Covid-19 restrictions.

In a tweet this evening, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly confirmed that the meeting between the officials had concluded and said “a lot of good work already happening” in Donegal would be supported.

Also present at the meeting were Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue, Independent TD Thomas Pringle, Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh and Deputy CMO Dr Ronan Glynn

In a tweet, McHugh said the meeting was “positive” and that all present agreed to look at the suggestions presented by health officials.

Thanks to Minister @DonnellyStephen & @FrankFeighan for facilitating this evenings meeting. Positive focussed meeting, many issues raised; @CMOIreland and the Minister have agreed to look at a number of suggestions presented which is welcome pic.twitter.com/LhBNZiwwdG

— Joe McHugh (@McHughJoeTD) May 1, 2021

Covid-19: Three further deaths, 569 new cases confirmed in Ireland

Also this evening, three further deaths and 569 additional cases of Covid-19 were confirmed by health officials.

The median age of the cases reported this evening is just 26 years old.

The newest figures bring the total number of Covid-19-related deaths here to 4,906 and the total number of cases recorded in Ireland to 249,437.

Of the cases notified this evening:

• 268 are men;
• 290 are women;
• 78% are under 45 years of age;
• The median age is 26 years old

As of 8am this morning, 123 patients with Covid-19 were hospitalised - 41 of whom were in intensive care units.

Five new hospitalisations have been reported in the past 24 hours.

The five-day moving average of the virus here is now 476.

Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of two previously confirmed cases.

The figure of 249,437 confirmed cases listed above reflects these denotifications.

Vaccines

1,527,844 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been given out in Ireland, as of Thursday, April 29.

1,097,742 people have received their first dose, while 430,102 people have gotten their second jab and are fully vaccinated.