Behave as though you have the virus
Warning as figures on the island rise by 1,400
HEALTH chiefs on both sides of the border raised the alarm yesterday as the i sland of Ireland saw a shocking rise of 1,400 cases of Covid-19.
So many people now have the virus – and it is growing at such a rate – that acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn has told everyone to act ‘as though you have the virus’.
Already the Government has accepted recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) to introduce tighter household restrictions.
Numbers in the Republic are at the highest since the end of April, when health experts were still figuring out how to grapple with the virus – and the North has seen the highest daily rise ever.
Despite appeal after appeal by ministers and health officials there were 470 new cases south of the border yesterday – and the North’s figure was almost double that at 934 new cases. Dr Glynn said the
House meetings spread it most
increasing numbers is a ‘matter of serious concern for NPHET’ and they are recommending everyone stick to the new guideline that no more than two households should meet at any one time.
‘It is vital that everyone – families, friends and neighbours – limit the opportunities this virus has to move from person to person and stop the spread of the disease across households.
‘Behave as though you have the virus and keep yourself and those around you safe – don’t take a risk by organising or attending gatherings with more than one other household,’ he said.
The North’s Health Minister Robin Swann described t he increase as ‘unprecedented’, telling the Stormont Assembly that ‘the warnings about the resurgent Covid-19 threat are coming true in the starkest of terms’.
Public health expert Dr Gabriel Scally said the figures represented an ‘ incredible jump’ and were ‘shocking and very disappointing’.
Of the cases notified yesterday, with Dublin accounting for 198.
In addition, one more person died as a result of the virus.
The total number of cases and deaths now stands at 37,063 and 1,801 respectively in the south.
Other counties which saw a significant increase in cases yesterday was Cork with 61, Donegal with 36, Kildare and Limerick with 19 each, and 12 in Kerry.
NPHET had advised a maximum of six people from a single household be allowed go to another house in all parts of the country which was accepted.
It said people should be able to continue to meet socially in other settings, but only with those from one other household.
With 2,000 new cases here in the last five days alone, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said he received a ‘very stark letter’ from
Dr Glynn after the NPHET meeting on Thursday. He told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland yesterday: ‘Unfortunately, in spite of superb efforts by people across the country which are slowing the acceleration of the virus, it is still moving fast.
‘ We are now at 94 cases per 100,000. The five - day average, which is quite concerning, is now over 400 new cases per day.
‘One thing I look at is the impact on our hospitals. We have seen a 30% increase in hospitalisations just in the past week. We are now at 119 people, and the number of people going into intensive care is rising as well and unfortunately the evidence from across the world is, as those numbers go up, fatalities follow. The R number is now about 1.3 which means the level of the virus is doubling every two weeks.’
He said that the primary mode of transmission is close contacts and the main clusters around the country are within households.
‘What is spreading this virus more than anything is different households meeting up with each other,’ Mr Donnelly warned.
However, officials from NPHET did not recommend that any other counties be moved up a level in the Government’s phased plan for dealing with Covid-19.
The Government i ncreased restrictions in Dublin and Donegal last month, which include a ban on indoor social gatherings and a requirement for pubs and restaurants to only serve food outdoors, while travel in and out of the county has been limited to work, education and essential purposes.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the ongoing issue of coronavirus had become the dominant issue at the European Council meeting in Brussels which got under way yesterday. Mr Martin said concerns were raised over the health and economic impacts of Covid-19, and also ‘the duration over which this will continue’.