Remote areas report Covid-19 surges as Munster hospitals struggle to manage patient load

Villages that experienced little or no cases now hit by virus

Cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Durrus village in Co Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane

Remote rural areas which up to now experienced little or no Covid-19 cases are reporting surges in the virus, while hospitals are being overrun with patients, leading Cork University Hospital (CUH) management to urge people not to attend its emergency department unless absolutely vital.

Remote villages in West Cork, which had not seen a positive Covid case since the beginning of the pandemic, have experienced a recent noticeable increase in positive tests, according to a GP.