HSE 'really struggling' as 23,125 Covid cases reported

As of March 14, the Covid-19 incidence rate nationally was 1188.5 cases per 100,000 people.

Hospitals are being told that they can cancel elective procedures as Covid takes a grip of the country again.

This afternoon, the Department of Health reported a further 23,125 cases of Covid-19.

There were 8,910 cases confirmed by PCR test while 14,215 people registered a positive antigen test result through the HSE online portal.

As of Thursday, 1,425 patients are in hospital with the virus, a figure which has jumped by 30. Of these, 53 are in intensive care - down two since yesterday.

The number of patients in hospital with the virus has been continually trending upward since March 17.

In the seven days from March 16 to March 23, there were 47 further deaths related to Covid-19. The total number of lives lost now stands at 6,638.

Meanwhile, local elective area data is showing the incidence rate is rising in many parts of the country, with Sligo the worst hit.

Strandhill has an incidence rate of 2636.2 per 100,000 population while Drumcliff has an incidence rate of 2387.6.

As of March 14, the incidence rate nationally was 1188.5.

In Cork, Cobh had the highest incidence rate with 1324.9 with the area seeing 452 cases of the virus in the two weeks up to March 14.

Nenagh in Co Tipperary was showing one of the highest incidence rates in Munster with 1572.1, while Ennis in Co Clare was showing an incidence rate of 1517.3.

The incidence rates are based on PCR testing — not at-home antigen tests.

The figures may rise due to the jump in cases over the St Patrick's Day weekend.

Almost 64,000 Covid cases — from both PCR and antigen tests — were recorded over the St Patrick's weekend.

Covid cases have been rising while hospitalisations due to the virus have reached levels not seen since February last year. 

'A last resort'

The HSE’s chief operations officer Anne O’Connor said a recommendation to hospitals to cancel elective procedures was "a last resort" for the health service.

There were 1,338 patients in hospital with Covid at 8pm on Wednesday night — an increase of 29 % over the past seven days, she told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.

"Whether it's in our hospitals, our community services, our national ambulance service, we are really struggling in terms of the level of Covid across services and across our staff," Ms O'Connor said.

“A lot of (hospital) beds are being taken up with Covid,” she added. 

In University Kerry Hospital, one-third of beds are occupied with Covid patients, which was a real cause for concern.

Half of the patients with Covid had been admitted with other conditions and, when tested, were found to have the virus, she explained. But that did not make a difference as they were still infectious and had to be admitted to a Covid ward which put “significant demand” on hospitals.

There are 5,200 health service staff absent from work at present because of Covid which meant that some hospitals' entire teams were absent and procedures were being cancelled.

The HSE had written to all hospitals on Wednesday, she said, about the necessity to focus on critical work such as cancer care and emergency departments. This would mean the cancellation of elective procedures as the numbers attending emergency departments could not be controlled.

“This really is a capacity challenge. It is a real concern for us today.” 

Ms O’Connor said that she had never known so many people with Covid. “We have to get through the next few weeks and hope that the numbers improve.” 

There was no option but to cancel elective procedures. The HSE will telephone patients to let them know if their procedure is going to be cancelled, she said.

“It’s the last resort for us. It has been one serious situation after another, none of us wants to cancel procedures.

“We will do everything to get back to full service.”