Covid-19: 2,605 new cases as children account for one-fifth of infections

Echoing the remarks of Health Minister Stephen Donnelly yesterday, Dr David Nabarro said Ireland would likely see further increases in case numbers over the coming weeks. Picture: Larry Cummins.

A further 2,605 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed by the Department of Health this evening.

Currently, there are 487 people hospitalised with the virus, with 99 patients being treated in ICU.

The figures come as the latest Health Protection Surveillance Centre’s report on schools said more than one in five or 21.7% of all Irish Covid cases were in children under the age of 18.

The incidence rate of infection per 100,000 among five to 12-year-olds now stands at 436.1.

On Wednesday the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) urged parents to limit children’s social activities to help curb infections.

Routine contact tracing for asymptomatic under-12s was halted on September 27, following concern about large numbers of children missing school days.

However, the HPSC data shows in that week the downward trend of cases in children aged 5 to 12 plateaued and then began a sharp rise which continues.

The HPSC said almost one in three outbreaks investigated in schools or creches involved only two linked cases.

“These limited transmission events may now be less likely to be detected, particularly if cases remain asymptomatic,” the HPSC stated, adding: “The risk of onward transmission from undetected asymptomatic cases within the school setting remains low”.

A separate HPSC report shows cases among teenagers which began a sharp decline when vaccinations were introduced in early August, have risen slightly in the last two weeks.

Other new HPSC data shows new outbreaks in 12 nursing homes, and 20 other residential settings. Workplaces including offices, meat plants and the emergency services saw 115 new cases.

Overall the 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 is now 577.9.

Waterford remains the worst affected with a rate of 1,179.2, followed by Carlow, Longford and then Kerry with a rate of 987. The infection rate in Cork is 533.1.

Localised restrictions

The World Health Organisation's (WHO) special envoy on Covid has said Ireland should consider reintroducing local Covid-19 restrictions if the number of confirmed cases here continues to spike.

Dr David Nabarro said localised measures were the “correct response” to rises in transmission and case numbers in a particular area.

Nationally, the seven-day moving average of Covid-19 has risen by 80% in the past three weeks to almost 2,000.

Dr Nabarro said local restrictions should not be ruled out if the profile of the disease here continues to worsen.

"If there is a big spike in cases and a very heavy burden on the health services in a particular location, that’s when some kind of localised movement restrictions can be considered. 

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"And I don’t see that as something to be worried about: I see that as the correct response,” he told Newstalk.

"Especially in Ireland, given that you’ve got a very well-developed system of tracking what’s happening with the virus in different counties."

Echoing the remarks of Health Minister Stephen Donnelly yesterday, Dr Nabarro said Ireland would likely see further increases in case numbers over the coming weeks.

World Health Organisation (WHO) special envoy on Covid-19, Dr David Nabarro said Ireland would likely see further increases in case numbers over the coming weeks. File Picture: Imperial College London/PA 

"I think that the rate of increase will only slow if there is a conscious effort by people everywhere to themselves contribute to reduced transmission,” he said.

"I don’t know how much more transmission there’s going to be because there’s a very definite relationship between the extent to which people mix and the extent to which cases increase."

Dr Tony Holohan: 'The infection is growing at a rate that’s concerning us now' 

Cabinet ministers yesterday said that despite the recent increase in Covid-19 cases nationally, they didn’t see any prospect of a return to lockdown before Christmas.

Speaking last night, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan did not rule out the reintroduction of some restrictions, if case numbers and hospitalisations do not begin to level off.

"It might not take a huge amount of improvement. But it’s improvement across the whole population for us to turn around the experience we’re seeing at the moment in terms of growth of the infection," the CMO said. 

"The infection is growing at a rate that’s concerning us now. 

"And if we don’t find means within us – in terms of our behaviours, in terms of the environments we’re operating in being made as safe as possible – we don’t want to be in a situation where we have to give consideration to what further measures will be needed."