'Dangerous' number of patients on trolleys as 9,365 new Covid cases reported

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said it is inexcusable that the trolley figures have returned to pre-pandemic levels when Covid-19 remains a very real feature in hospitals. Picture: Kenneth O Halloran

The Department of Health has today reported an additional 3,780 positive PCR cases of Covid-19 in Ireland today.

In addition, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) reported 5,585 new positive antigen tests have been registered through the HSE portal, bringing the total number to 9,365.

As of 8am this morning, there are 646 people in hospital with a confirmed case of the coronavirus - up three since yesterday - of whom 72 are in intensive care - a drop of four.

Over the weekend, there were 28,166 cases – including PCR and antigen tests – reported since Friday.

Trolleys

The number of patients waiting on trolleys in Irish hospitals has hit the highest number since February 4, 2020.

This morning, there are a total of 603 patients waiting on trolleys.

University Hospital Limerick tops the list with 71 patients on trolleys followed by Cork University Hospital with 58 and University Hospital Galway with 46 patients.

The issue is not confined to one particular area as high numbers are being recorded in all parts of the country.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said urgent action needs to be taken to address the "out of control" issue.

The group is calling for the Emergency Department Taskforce to be convened and for emergency measures to be deployed in the worst hit areas.

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said it is inexcusable that the trolley figures have returned to pre-pandemic levels when Covid-19 remains a very real feature in hospitals.

"We cannot allow the health service to revert to form and allow pre-Covid levels of overcrowding to become the norm once again in our hospitals," said Ms Ní Sheaghdha.

"Patients and nursing staff deserve better. If non-emergency services need to be curtailed in order to allow the HSE and hospital groups to get a handle on out of control trolley figures then that must be done.

"It is not acceptable to our members to allow overcrowding become an out of control problem once again."

She said the INMO has been calling for such action to be taken since the first week of January and now, in the second week of February hospitals are seeing a dangerous number of patients on trolleys.

Ms Ní Sheaghdha said the figures published today are simply unacceptable.