Mass testing at UL after a fresh Covid-19 outbreak among students

MASS testing for Covid-19 will take place over the coming days at the University of Limerick (UL) to help manage a fresh outbreak of the virus among the student population.

The testing will be carried out by HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare and the National Ambulance Service in partnership with the Department of Public Health Mid West.

Dr Ronan Ryder, director of the Student Health Centre at UL, said the service referred fewer than five patients for testing this day two weeks ago, but that this rose to 50 on Monday.

A spokesman for the Department of Public Health Mid West said it had recorded more than 200 cases associated with the current student outbreak in Limerick since early January.”Dr Ryder said he felt “that the vast majority of the student population have done exceptionally well to protect themselves since Christmas”.

But he added: “When case numbers start to rise, it does take some time to bring them back under control.

“So, I am encouraging all students in the Castletroy area to avail of testing, and to avoid household visits and socialising.”

“If you are a student in the area, and you are concerned about symptoms or you are a close contact, your first port of call should be the Student Health Centre or your own GP, and the test is free for everybody.”

Students are advised that “even if phone lines are busy, every student will be accommodated”.

Meanwhile, students who availed of a previous round of mass testing at UL earlier this month “should also register for a test, as infection since being tested is still possible” a spokesman for Public Health Mid West said.

Dr Marie Casey, a specialist in public health medicine, said the department had noticed a series of behavioural patterns that were contributory factors to the increase in cases.

“Our contact tracers are seeing new positive cases identifying an excessive number of close contacts outside their households. This is problematic as, largely speaking, your only close contacts should be your own household,” Dr Casey said.

“We are also noticing that some people are building wider ‘social bubbles’.”

“While we are managing an outbreak among the student population, we are seeing similar patterns of inter-household and family outbreaks in estates and communities across Limerick and the Mid-West, due to increased levels of social mixing.”