Winter health outlook ‘very grim’ as HSE plan slammed as 'inadequate'

There were 622 Covid patients in hospital yesterday, the highest figure since February 25, and there were 117 patients in ICUs, the highest since March 1.

The situation in the health service is “very, very grim” the HSE chief operations officer has warned, as the number of Covid patients in hospital reaches a level last seen in February.

An audit of paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) services finds staff shortages and high occupancy levels are also putting pressure on these valuable beds.