A former head of the HSE says the government should consider re-imposing restrictions, after 11,500 Covid cases in four days.
3,726 were recorded yesterday – the highest since January 14th. (More here).
The 14-day incidence rate has risen by 18% in the past week – and now stands at 695 per 100,000 people.
Former director-general of the HSE, Tony O’Brien, believes it’s partly due to nightclubs reopening recently.
Carlow remains one of the counties to record a higher rate – in the fortnight to midnight Monday that stood at 1,210 after 689 new instances during that time. Only Waterford’s rate is higher at 1,260 after 1,465 cases.
Kilkenny’s still mid-table on a rate of 587 after 582 more positive tests were returned in the two weeks.
It’s as early 115,000 Covid tests were carried out across Ireland last week, up almost 10,000 on two weeks earlier.
458 people with the virus were being treated in hospitals at 8pm last night. St Luke’s General Hospital for Carlow and Kilkenny had three new admissions – 12 people are now being treated there, three still in the intensive care unit.
There are also 12 at University Hospital Waterford.
Meanwhile, interestingly, Waterford and Carlow have the highest vaccination rate – see here