INMO: Overcrowding in Cork hospitals is 'out of control'

Ambulances lined up outside the emergency department at the Cork University Hospital. Picture: Dan Linehan

Overcrowding in Cork hospitals is out of control according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. The warning was made as the number of Covid patients in hospitals nationally remains extremely high.

The nurses union counted 73 patients waiting on trolleys or chairs for a hospital bed in Cork University Hospital and the Mercy University Hospital. They were among 563 patients nationwide.

“The amount of patients for whom there are no beds in both acute hospitals in Cork City today is out of control,” INMO industrial relations officer, Liam Conway said.

“We have seen huge levels of overcrowding in Cork so far this month with 974 patients on trolleys since March 1 in both hospitals. This is completely unsustainable.” 

On Monday there were 108 Covid patients in CUH, the third-highest in the country and 20 in the smaller MUH, separate HSE data shows.

Overall on Tuesday there were 1,601 Covid patients in hospitals although numbers in ICU dipped slightly to 50.

Professor Gerry Killeen, who can hear ambulances arriving at MUH from his University College Cork office, described the sounds as “sobering”.

An expert in pathogens, he said vaccines alone will not stop the current outbreak of this latest Omicron variant.

“BA.2 is different in that it is slightly more vaccine-evasive. It might be a little more virulent too but what we are definitely sure of, it is even more transmissible, probably a good 30% more transmissible,” he said.

“It is questionable as to whether it is stoppable, it is certainly possible to slow it down."

He recommended wearing masks on public transport and in some public spaces.

“The minimum thing we can do for vulnerable folks is protect essential spaces with ventilation, filtration and of course, masks. None of those things are actually restrictions, those are prevention measures,” he said.

Experiences globally with Omicron have varied, he said, pointing to Denmark where daily deaths peaked at 51 in February with the latest daily toll for Monday at 28.

“It will take time, you are certainly looking at months rather than weeks and then the big issue is, what then? An exit wave makes it sound like the last one, but I don’t think so, unfortunately,” he said.

“You never really know what is coming next. I am sure there will be quiet lulls like in Brazil where they had a long period where things when quiet and then [spiked in February].”

Dr Ray Walley, a member of the national GP Covid liaison committee, said the rise was predictable as we are now almost two weeks after the St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

He also recommended mask-wearing in some settings, saying he is already noticing retail staff doing so.

“We did well in the two years of Covid, it would be a shame if we lose individuals, vulnerable people, in the recovery,” he said.

“The message needs to go out from the minister for health stating if people are symptomatic to isolate, they should not be going to GP surgeries or other healthcare settings.”

He called on other government politicians also to advise the public to consider mask-wearing again.

The Department of Health yesterday confirmed 5,962 new cases through PCR testing, and 8,587 positive antigen results were registered on Monday.