Nphet reports 374 new Covid cases while 128 of Indian variant detected by mid-May

Sun, 30 May, 2021 - 14:05

Maresa Fagan

There have been 374 further Covid-19 cases confirmed in Ireland, the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has said.

As of Sunday morning, 99 coronavirus patients were in hospital, of whom 35 were in ICU.

The number of Covid-19 cases involving potentially more transmissible Indian variants rose to 128 by mid-May, according to the latest report on variants of concern by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

Figures collated by the HPSC and National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL) show that the UK B117 variant remains the most dominant in Ireland but that the number of cases of two of three potentially more transmissible Indian variants has risen in recent weeks.

Since December 13, the genetic material of almost 12,000 Covid samples — around 7% of all Covid-19 cases to date — has been sequenced as part of an ongoing surveillance programme to monitor new and emerging variants of concern (VOC).

The UK B117 Covid strain was the first variant of concern to be detected in Ireland in mid-December and took hold during the third wave of infection to overtake the original Wuhan strain of the virus.

Initially the UK variant achieved 94% dominance but in recent weeks this has fallen to 89% dominance.

Evidence suggests that two vaccine doses may be required against the Indian variant which is believed to be more transmissible.

There are now concerns that new variants, such as the Indian variant, which has led to a fresh surge in infections in parts of England, could pose a risk of a new Covid wave in Ireland.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the B.1.617 Indian strain as a variant of concern on May 10 and within a week added three strains of the virus — B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2, B.1.617.3 — to the VOC list.

Believed to be more transmissible, evidence to date suggests that two vaccine doses may be required against the new Indian variant.

One-fifth of the adult population in Ireland are now fully vaccinated.

The first cases of the B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2 Indian variants in Ireland were detected in late March and early April.

Since then 89 cases of the B.1.617.2 strain and 39 cases of the B.1.617.1 strain have been confirmed.

The HSPC report also shows that 60-67% of the Indian variant cases were detected among people aged between 19-34 years of age.

Other variants of concern identified to date include the B1351 South African variant (72 cases) and the P1 Brazilian variant (28 cases).

On Sunday, Professor of Biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin Luke O’Neill expressed a note of caution around Ireland’s reopening plans given the rising number of infections in the UK from the Indian variant.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen with this new B.1.617.2 variant which is now in the UK. Everyday I’m looking at those numbers,” he told the Brendan O’Connor show on RTÉ radio.

There are increased hospitalisations in the north of England, for example, probably because of this variant and now we watch to see if that becomes severe disease.

"That’s the thing we’re watching for now,” he added.

Professor O’Neill said he was concerned about the speed of the reopening.

The next three to four weeks, he said, would be “critical” and if the Indian variant leads to an increase in “severe disease” in the UK the government would be wise to slow down the reopening plans “slightly”.

Meanwhile, fresh concerns have been raised over a new Covid variant in Vietnam, which appears to be a mix of the Indian and UK strains.

Vietnam was one of a small number of countries to stem the spread of Covid-19 quickly and effectively, with just over 3,000 cases and less than 50 deaths confirmed by May this year.

In recent weeks, however, more than 3,500 new cases and around a dozen deaths have been confirmed, which scientists fear may be linked with a new strain.

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