Ireland’s current actions for containing Covid-19 can’t be sustained says infectious diseases expert

An infectious diseases specialist says Ireland’s current actions for containing Covid-19 can’t be sustained.

430 more people have tested positive for the virus with yesterday’s figures breaking all daily records since April.

212 of those cases are in Dublin, but doctors have voiced concerns about the level of infection in Cork, where there are 54 cases, and Galway, where there are 23.

Kilkenny’s now had 452 positive tests to date with 281 in Carlow.

President of the Infectious Diseases Society Professor Sam McConkey says something has to change, or people will die, noting “Our actions are not really suitable at this point for controlling Covid-19 you know the way we’ve been behaving the last two months isn’t sustainable, you know we’ve enjoyed it, we’ve had relaxation on businesses & lots of things but it’s unsustainable to continue that because for as long as we’re on a rising trajectory that will lead to not just young, fairly healthy people getting a little bit ill but it will inevitably spread to older people & lead to hospitalisations and ICU and even death”.

It’s as new coronavirus fines and restrictions have come into force across parts of the UK.

In England, self-isolation is now a legal requirement, with a minimum fine of one thousand pounds.

Weddings are now limited to 15 people – rather than 30 in England. In Wales, 30 people are allowed, in Scotland it’s 20, while in Northern Ireland it depends on the venue.

Also three council areas in South Wales will go into local lockdown from 6pm.

Meanwhile, a man recruited to take part in a UK clinical trial to treat severe Covid-19 has been given an experimental arthritis drug.

In addition to standard care at Manchester Royal Infirmary, the 41-year-old received a dose of otilimab.

The research will assess the effectiveness of the drug in treating severe lung disease associated with Covid-19.