An infectious diseases specialist says a single bad outbreak of Covid19 at a nursing home could put the public hospital system over the edge.

13 more patients have died while 2,944 more people have tested positive for the virus, among them 42 in Kilkenny and 20 in Carlow.

1,928 people are now being treated in hospital for the infection after 68 more people were admitted yesterday. 195 patients are in intensive care. Four of these are in the ICU at St Luke’s Hospital, among 35 patients battling the virus there last night after five new admissions. There are two further suspected cases at the local hospital.

Professor Sam McConkey of the Royal College of Surgeons says the situation in our hospitals could get far worse without much warning.

Incidence Rate

The latest figures show the nation’s 14 day incidence rate now stands at 1,487.9 per 100,000.

Carlow’s is still above that with the county retaining the seventh-highest figure position with its rate of 1,666.9 while Kilkenny’s is at 1,146.8.

Full breakdown here:

Coombe

The Coombe Hospital in Dublin gave leftover vaccine doses to family members of its staff including two of its Master’s children.

The Health Minister says he’s aware of what happened and that it was not in line with the national vaccine strategy.

For both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, there is a six-hour window in which they must be used once fully defrosted and prepared.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said he will speak with the chair of the Coombe hospital’s board to find out what happened.

The Irish Times reports 16 leftover doses remained at the end of the Dublin maternity hospital’s vaccine clinic on the 8th of January – and they were administered to relatives of staff.

The Master of the Coombe, Professor Michael O’Connell, told the paper they would have been discarded otherwise.

Travel

Unmonitored self-isolation for people arriving into Ireland is undermining efforts of stopping the spread of Covid-19, according to Sinn Féin.

The party is calling for a legally binding quarantine system, with Garda checks and fines.

Its Transport spokesperson Darren O’Rourke says Ireland could import an even more infectious strain over the next couple of weeks.

He says efforts by the Northern Executive to stop Dublin Airport becoming a back door to the North are being ignored by the Department of Health.

Everyone travelling into the UK from around the world must quarantine for 10 days.

They also have to produce a negative Covid19 test on arrival, which is designed to detect new variants of the disease.

Ireland is the only country in the world exempt from the new rule.

Virology expert, Dr David Matthews, says professionals are keeping a close eye on mutations.