The newest Covid wave is having a “vital influence” on sufferers in emergency departments, in accordance with a number one HSE official.
There are 812 sufferers in hospital with the virus – greater than twice as many as three weeks in the past.
Head of the Saolta Hospital Group, Tony Canavan, stated he hopes we’re on the high of the present wave.
He additionally stated the current surge in affecting hospitals – and will result in non-urgent procedures being cancelled once more.
Mr Canavan advised Newstalk: “All of our emergency departments are extraordinarily busy, and we’ve got excessive numbers of admissions, however the availability of beds has been lowered due to Covid, so even an outbreak on a ward means beds can’t be used for a time period.
“We’ve seen a rise within the variety of sufferers ready for admission and on trolleys. If the numbers had been to rise we’d see a rise in numbers on trolleys and we must begin wanting on the elective procedures.”
Covid wave
In the meantime, the HSE’s chief medical officer has stated it’s a “robust message” that individuals who contracted the Delta variant of Covid-19 final 12 months now haven’t any safety in opposition to an infection.
Dr Colm Henry stated individuals had been being reinfected within the newest wave of the virus by the present Omicron subvariants BA4 and BA5.
It comes as slightly below 200 deaths linked to the illness had been recorded in June, as Eire experiences one other surge in instances with earlier safety from reinfection now “gone”.
“It’s a robust message to get throughout that individuals who obtained Delta final 12 months haven’t any safety,” Dr Henry advised Newstalk’s Pat Kenny present.
The vaccine provided longer-lasting safety, he added. “Issues can be a lot worse if 96 per cent had not been primarily vaccinated. It’s a unprecedented determine.”
