COVID STILL BIRTH SHOCK
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FOUR stillbirths associated with Covid-19 are among 39 new deaths from the virus.
NPHET made the grim announcement last night as it revealed initial reports show a possible link.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Ronan Glynn said: “We have been made aware of four preliminary reports of stillbirths potentially associated with a condition called Covid Placentitis.
“These reports should be interpreted with caution as the coroners have not yet concluded their findings.
“The HSES National Women and Infants Programme is aware of and is monitoring the situation and has issued a related notice to obstetric departments.
“I would ask that the privacy of all of those affected by this disease continues to be respected at all times.”
Of the new deaths, 10 occurred in March, 12 last month, 13 in January and three last year. One further fatality is still under investigation.
Another 462 new cases of the virus were also confirmed, with total infections now standing at 221,649 and 4,396 overall deaths.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that more than 200 households have been hit with Covid that can be linked back to an outbreak among students.
The confirmation came from Dr Breda Smyth, Director of Public
Health, HSE West, who said: “We know that the new variant is more transmissible and, based on the latest data, approximately a third of household contacts of confirmed cases in Ireland are now testing positive.
“If you display any symptoms of Covid-19 you must immediately self-isolate in your room and phone your GP.
“We know how to break the chains of transmission of this disease. We must all continue to make every effort to limit our social contacts, stay home and stay safe.”
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was criticised in the Dail with Sinn Fein health spokesman David Cullinane claiming TDS are receiving massive numbers of complaints from their constituents.
He added: “We are at a very important point in the battle against Covid.
“In fact, I would argue we are at a critical point in relation to suppressing this virus.
“We have had debates in this Chamber on a range of different ingredients to keep driving down community transmission and then keeping the numbers low.
“That includes having a first-class test and trace system. It obviously includes sufficient checks and controls at ports and airports on which areas we have disagreements.
But, front and centre, has be the rollout of the vaccine. I can tell the minister that everybody in this State wants that process to be a success because it is a route out of the current crisis that we are in.
“It gives people hope that we will have some level of normality back in our lives in the next number of months but it has to be said there are problems. It is our job to raise those problems with the minister.” However, the HSE has said there is a “high level of unpredictability” and ongoing “significant issues” over supplies of vaccines coming into the country.
The Government and the HSE have been accused of “dropping the ball” on the rollout here as some
GPS are left without vaccines while being inundated by their elderly and vulnerable patients asking why they haven’t been inoculated.
Vaccinations for around 65 practo tices across the country with a combination of 800 people aged 85 and older will spill over into next week.
The HSE had set a target to get everyone aged over 85 jabs by tomorrow.
HSE chief Paul Reid admitted there were logistical issues getting vaccines to GPS this week, citing a mix-up over what was ordered by doctors and what was delivered by the HSE and also vaccines not arriving on the scheduled date.
He noted they had “encountered significant issues” and the frustration from GPS was “understandable”.
Mr Reid said there may have been “some confusion” over GPS not having syringes or needles to administer
I would argue we are at a critical point on this virus DAVID CULLINANE DAIL YESTERDAY
We must all continue to make every effort to limit our contacts DR BREDA SMYTH YESTERDAY
the jabs but the cases the HSE was alerted to were investigated and the “consumables” were delivered.
He encouraged GPS to ring the call centre and support line.
However, Mr Reid said there are 10 people manning the phones and he is not sure of the location of the call centre.
He added there are continued concerns about supplies from Astrazeneca.
The HSE boss said two deliveries of that jab – 64,000 last week and 12,000 this week – have been delayed.
He added the HSE did get some deliveries which did not meet that volume but that after next week “it should start to balance itself out”.
Mr Reid added that over the course of three weeks, there is a delivery of about 115,000 doses but they may be up to 3,000 short of that commitment.
He said the HSE knows what it is getting this week and is planning around that.
A delivery of 36,000 arrived on Tuesday, 57,600 doses is due next Tuesday and 21,000 on March 12.
Mr Reid added the pharma company has advised that the commitments will be “rebalanced and even themselves out” but the HSE “continues to have concerns” about interruptions in supply commitments.
Mr Donnelly echoed Mr Reid’s comments and said he remains “concerned” over Astrazeneca’s “ability to deliver on schedule and indeed deliver at the volumes that have been agreed”.
The minister’s department moved to defend the speed of the rollout here through a press release saying Ireland is “currently above the EU average with approximately 3% of our population fully vaccinated”.
Officials said 6% of the population have received at least one shot. Mr Donnelly stated that “in good faith” several weeks ago he said most people would be vaccinated by September. But he added this target has now been “potentially moved again” because of
Astrazeneca.