St Luke’s Hospital has seen a slight increase in the number of Covid-19 cases since the weekend.
Latest figures show ten patients at the hospital are now being treated for the virus- one patient is in critical care along with another suspected case.
Seven others are waiting on results after being tested for the virus.
The local hospital was reporting six vacant beds in the critical care unit last night and another 6 vacant general beds.
Meanwhile it’s been confirmed that some staff at St Luke’s have been using boilersuit-type P-P-E.
Local TD Jennifer Murnane O’Connor last week told KCLR she’d had complaints from local hospital staff that they were using this type of protective equipment.
Deputy Murnane O’Connor claimed this was totally unsuitable and was down to a lack of protective gowns.
A spokeperson for the hospital contradicted this and insisted that only approved P-P-E was being used.
In another statement to KCLR the Ireland East Hospital Group has now confirmed that boilersuit-type P-P-E is being used at St Luke’s but that it is fully infection control approved.
The statement says it has now sourced a large supply of gowns which will replace the boiler suits.