NPHET will discuss the sudden rise in the number of people admitted to intensive care with Covid19 at a meeting this morning.
The Chief Medical Officer, Tony Holohan, has expressed concern that eight people were admitted to Intensive Care Units with the virus yesterday – that’s more admissions in a 24-hour period than has happened since the middle of spring.
St Luke’s Hospital again tops the table in the country for the number of patients being treated for the virus – jumping from 26 on Tuesday to 32 last night, with one further suspected case there.
It’s as 14 new positive tests were confirmed for Kilkenny and up to four in Carlow among the 227 announced last evening while five more people have died across the nation.
Health Systems Professor at DCU, Anthony Staines, says it’s a stark reminder of how damaging this disease can be.
Incidence Rate
While nationally the 14-day incidence rate is good in European terms, now standing at 79.5, locally there’s some concern.
Kilkenny’s figure of 191.5 sees the county remain the second-highest in the country with just Donegal’s higher at 226.8. Carlow’s is also high at 121.2, making it the sixth in the top ten.
Essential Companions
The HSE says it’s aiming to allow partners of pregnant people to attend scans from next week.
It’s re-classifying them as ‘essential companions’ for the fetal anomaly check.
That is typically offered to women around 20 weeks into pregnancy.
If a case of Covid-19 is identified in a maternity facility, restrictions on visits could be re-implemented, however.
Elsewhere
Poorer nations will only have enough Covid-19 vaccines for one-tenth of their populations.
That’s according to Amnesty International, which is calling for more companies to be allowed mass-produce the jabs.
It comes as the World Trade Organisation is to discuss a submission from South Africa and India calling for a temporary drop on copyright for vaccines.
Head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty, Steve Coleburn, says wealthier nations are buying most of the available supply.
