HSE warns parents to cocoon new babies as respiratory illnesses run rampant

with respiratory cases mounting across the country's hospital network, HSE CEO Bernard Gloster said it is focused on reducing discharge delays facing patients already finished their hospital care. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

The HSE has issued a stark warning to parents to cocoon new babies as it battles to tackle "extraordinarily high" levels of RSV and flu across the country.

There were 829 new cases of RSV and 283 of flu last week. That was the highest weekly RSV count ever. There was also the highest ever number (335) of people hospitalised with the virus.

The HSE also said last week saw a 60% increase in the number of confirmed flu cases and a doubling of the number of patients (97) who required admission to hospital due to flu. 

In all, the HSE said that across the country's acute hospitals, the health service is managing 23 outbreaks of respiratory illness. There were also at least 509 new covid-19 cases last week, according the HSE.  

RSV can have serious outcomes in young children, particularly those under six months old, and can also easily spread to older people who can also become seriously ill with the illness. It is mainly spread when someone coughs or sneezes.

The HSE's Child Health Public Health Programme clinical lead Dr Abigail Collins said parents need to be aware of the RSV risks.

We advise people with babies, particularly very young babies, to try to cocoon them and avoid having them in large crowds, or near people with cold and respiratory symptoms.

“If your child is sick, keep them away from other children and vulnerable adults where possible.”

Her colleague, Health Protection Surveillance national clinical lead Dr Greg Martin said parents and caregivers should "be vigilant for symptoms, trust their instincts and always contact their GP if they are worried, especially if the symptoms get worse quickly".

Meanwhile with respiratory cases mounting across the country's hospital network, HSE CEO Bernard Gloster said it is focused on reducing discharge delays facing patients already finished their hospital care.

“It is very obvious to everybody there is a direct correlation between the amount of people on delayed transfer and the amount of people waiting to get into hospital from emergency departments,” he said.

“If we had no delayed transfers, we would have no trolleys.”

He said the HSE plans to release the delayed discharge figures more frequently from next week.

“I’ve been criticised for some of my interventions in that, but I make no apology for the fact,” he said.

This appears to reference concerns that HSE plans to transfer hospital patients waiting on nursing homes to the first available bed rather than their own choice of nursing home are “ageist”.

Mr Gloster also acknowledged the disparity in trolley figures between those released by the HSE and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

Today the INMO counted 596 waiting following three days when numbers hovered around 700. The HSE’s trolleygar count for today was 420.

Mr Gloster said from next week, the HSE will now separate its trolley data into admitted patients waiting in emergency departments and those moved temporarily to wards while still on trolleys.

It will also share figures for patients on trolleys placed in hospital spaces dedicated to surges in numbers.

“They would be counted in the INMO trolley-count, and I’m not going to dispute that, but they would be very different to a trolley in an emergency department,” he said.