Delta variant 'clear and present danger' for Ireland's re-opening

Prof. Gerry Killeen: 'What makes me nervous is that I know more about outbreaks in the North of Ireland and in Melbourne than I do about here in Ireland.' Picture: Denis Minihane

Rising cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant are “ a clear and present danger” for Ireland, an infectious diseases expert based in Cork has said.

The GISAID Initiative tracks two variants first identified in India, including the Delta variant, and has recorded 218 cases of both in Ireland.

Cork has the second-highest number at 67, with 119 sequenced in Dublin. The GISAID map also shows four cases in Kerry, five in Limerick, and one each in Tipperary and Waterford.

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The majority of these cases were submitted by the National Virus Reference Laboratory.

Virologist Cillian de Gascun said today: “We have reported 126 of the Delta variant (617.2) and 89 of the Kappa variant (617.1).” 

Professor Gerry Killeen, AXA Research chair in applied pathogen ecology at University College Cork, said the Delta variant is “a clear and present danger” to re-opening plans.

“We have to deal with Delta,” he said.

The conditions in the UK at the moment would be highly conducive to Delta taking another step forward in its evolution then we have something even worse.

At the weekend the Northern Ireland Public Health Agency identified “a small number of probable cases of the Delta variant” in Co. Down. Testing has been offered locally.

Prof. Killeen said if Ireland copies similarly strict measures to prevent the spread of the Gamma variant, first identified in Brazil, the threat could be overcome. That variant is also known as P1.

Prof. Killeen said: “The thing I am so encouraged by is we were able to handle P1. We did what needed to be done, we did impose mandatory hotel quarantine and our public health teams were up to the task.

“So we know we can do it. The challenge with this new variant is that it’s not coming from a far-away country. It comes from our next-door neighbour.” 

Prof. Killeen, a founding member of the Independent Scientific Advocacy Group, was critical of the limited information on where variants are in Ireland.

He said: “What makes me nervous is that I know more about outbreaks in the North of Ireland and in Melbourne than I do about here in Ireland.” 

This information helps people to change their behaviour and adapt to risks. He said: “I certainly might not go shopping in that place on that day, or ask why the shopping centre is open. Instead we opened for outdoor hospitality yesterday (without information) what is the context of that step forward?” 

Prof. Killeen said the public health department working in the Mid-West regularly shares detailed updates on the spread of the disease.

“They’re an exception, they are very good with transparency," he said, adding that "we know what's going on" in Limerick, Clare, and north Tipperary. 

“It should be the same for the whole country,” he said.  

GISAID data is available on www.gisaid.org