This will be worst week for hospitals
Stark warning of coming virus surge
THE health service is potentially facing the most challenging week in its history, Stephen Donnelly has warned.
Amid predictions that hospitals will see the peak of the third wave of the virus in the next fortnight, the number of people in intensive care units (ICU) with the virus will continue to surge.
A further 2,608 cases were confirmed here yesterday, as well as 13 deaths.
The Health Minister said that current predictions indicate the number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 is likely to hit its peak this week or next, admitting things will get worse before any improvement is seen.
‘The number on ICU is going to continue to rise, we know it’s going to get worse before it gets better,’ Mr Donnelly told RTÉ Radio 1’s This Week. ‘We have surge capacity of 350 critical care beds, then we have deals in place with the private hospitals, they’ve got 40 to 50 critical care beds as well.
‘So really, the focus right now is making sure that we have the beds,’ he explained.
He said that sufficient clinical staff were available to deal with the increasing numbers.
‘Most importantly, we have the staff. There has been a lot of work done since the first wave,’ the minister said.
‘PPE is fine. The number of ventilators – if you remember back in March that was a serious concern, oxygen is fine, a lot of work has been done. Nonetheless, the system is and will continue to be under very serious pressure for the next few weeks,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Community Development Minister Joe O’Brien. told RTÉ’s The Week In Politics: ‘We have 313 ICU beds at the moment, that goes up to surge capacity of 350. It’s going to be a very difficult week ahead, I suspect, possibly the most challenging week for the health service almost in its history.’
As of 2pm yesterday, 1,928 Covid-19 patients were hospitalised, 195 of whom were in ICU. There had been 68 extra hospitalisations in the previous 24 hours. Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, described the current situation in our hospitals as ‘stark’. ‘We are seeing people of all ages being admitted to hospital and being taken into intensive care units,’ he said. ‘The levels of infection are such that your chances of transmitting or getting Covid-19 are very high, and we know that a proportion of those cases will lead to serious illness and mortality,’ he added. ‘There is no group who should feel the public health advice does not apply to them. It is only if we act together that we can keep ourselves, our loved ones, and health and social care facilities safe.’ The State’s most senior health advisor also urged people to ‘consider your choices and make the right ones’ in the week ahead, as it is going to be a crucial time for tackling the virus .
‘Do not go into work tomorrow if you can work from home. If you are an employer, facilitate remote working for your employees,’ Dr Holohan warned, as health officials renew their efforts to minimise close contact with people.
The latest figures come a day after it was announced that hundreds of student nursing and midwifery placements have been suspended, to free up staff to support the coronavirus response.
The move will allow those qualified nurses and midwives who supervise and teach the students during the placements to focus on the battle against the virus.
‘System is under serious pressure’