WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS
Numbers in ICUS drop 20% in a week But 18 more dead as tragic toll at 1,446
We know the amount of cases per day has dropped
SIMON HARRIS ON THE LATEST COVID-19 DATA
SIMON Harris confirmed yesterday that numbers being treated in intensive care with Covid-19 had dropped by over 20% over the last week.
The Health Minister said there were 72 coronavirus patients in ICU yesterday, compared to 76 on Friday and 99 a week earlier.
Speaking at the weekly meeting of the medical leaders forum he said we had made “good progress” but we need to build on the positive trend and finish the job.
Last night a further 18 deaths from Covid-19 were confirmed, bringing the country’s death toll from the virus to 1,446.
Health chiefs also revealed 219 new cases had been diagnosed taking the total number of infections to 22,760.
Of the 22,495 cases up to midnight on Thursday May 7, more than half (57%) are female and the median age of confirmed cases remains at 49.
Mr Harris welcomed the drop in ICU admissions and said we were going in the right direction.
He added: “These are real people, fewer people getting very, very sick and going into our ICUS that is a good thing.
“We were seeing about 40 people a day being admitted to our hospitals with Covid-19, that number has now dropped to about 20 per day.
“We know the amount of cases per day has also dropped and the rate of growth is now 2% or less for about 12 days.”
Ireland’s Covid-19 reproductive rate is also falling and health chiefs say it is estimated to be between 0.34 and 0.71.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the RE number – how many people a confirmed case goes on to infect – has fallen, reflecting public restraint.
He said: “This reflects the way people have successfully managed – and continue to manage – their exposure to this virus, something that is borne out by a range of other sources.
“Google data shows a clear increase in the amount of time spent in residences as compared to baseline, with decreases in activity across all other location types.
“Apple mobility data similarly shows sustained decreases in public movement.
“Data from Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the National Transport Authority also demonstrates sustained decreases in traffic numbers and numbers on public transport.” The latest figures from the Department of Health show as of midnight last Thursday 13% of cases so far have been hospitalised.
Of those, 381 cases were admitted to ICU and overall healthcare workers account for 6,669, or 29.6%, of cases.
Community transmission accounts for 61% of cases, while close contact with a confirmed case
makes up for 35% with travel abroad causing 3% of cases. Dublin accounts for half of cases with 10,948 people testing positive, followed by Kildare with 1,317 and Cork which has 1,205.
A further four Covid-19 deaths were reported in the North yesterday, bringing the fatalities there to 430. The medical forum yesterday discussed the model of care for both Covid and non-covid patients and how to strike a balance while dealing with the deadly virus. Mr Harris said: “We need to make sure people don’t miss signs and symptoms of cancer at this time.
“Our health system is open. We don’t want to get through this pandemic relatively well as a country to find that lots of people get sick or sadly lose their lives from other conditions.” On Friday Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that as the country moves into the next stage of easing the lockdown, particular attention must be paid to how people behave in public spaces.
He said: “As we prepare for the next stages of living with this virus, we are learning new norms and behaviours, particularly how we interact in public spaces.
“Physical distancing, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, safe interactions apply to all if we are to keep Covid-19 suppressed in Ireland.”