Further 1828 Covid-19 cases reported after bank holiday effect

The Department of Health has reported 1,828 additional cases of Covid-19 with the majority of new infections occurring in the 16-34 year age bracket.

There were 198 Covid-19 patient in hospital on Saturday morning, an increase of nine on the previous day.

Of the total, 33 people were in intensive care, the department said.

The numbers have continued to climb in recent days, with 1,782 additional cases confirmed on Friday, the highest figure since late January.

Public health officials have warned Ministers that the number of Covid patients in hospital could double by the end of the month.

Figures given to the Cabinet subcommittee on Covid-19 on Friday suggested there may be 400 patients in hospital by the end of the month, based on current growth patterns.

The subcommittee was told that Ireland has not yet reached the peak of the latest wave of the disease. However, sources said the meeting heard Ireland is likely to follow the pattern seen in the UK, with cases declining from a peak in the coming weeks.

The 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 has reached its highest level since the start of February, and there remains “significant uncertainty” about underlying trends after the August bank holiday weekend, Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said.

He said the incidence of Covid-19 in the State was “high” and there remained “significant uncertainty in terms of the underlying trends, including due to the potential effect of the August bank holiday weekend on case numbers and referral patterns”.

The highest incidence rate continued to be seen in those aged 16-34, he said, while just 3 per cent of cases are now in people aged 65 years and older.

Dr Glynn was speaking in a video posted on social media on Friday night from the Department of Health.

Although the link between case numbers and severe disease had been “very substantially weakened through vaccination,” it had not been completely broken, Dr Glynn said.

“Unfortunately, due to the high incidence we continue to see an increasing number of people in hospital.”

Dr Glynn encouraged people to continue to meet outdoors where possible, to keep their distance and to isolate if they have any symptoms.

There was “no uncertainty” that there had been a “phenomenal uptake” of Covid-19 vaccines by people of all ages across Ireland and vaccines were proving “very effective” against severe disease.

The HSE is operating 43 walk-in vaccination clinics across Ireland again this weekend for anyone aged 16 or older who needs their first dose of a vaccine.

Registration is not required before visiting one of these clinics but people are required to bring their PPS number, phone number, email, Eircode, and photographic ID.

A list of the vaccine centres operating this weekend can be found on the HSE website.

Meanwhile, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said Ireland was at a “key juncture” in its path out of Covid-19.

“With 77 per cent of adults fully vaccinated, rising cases still pose a real threat,” he said in a Twitter post on Saturday morning.

“Two types of walk-in centres play a key role this weekend, ie to receive a first vaccination or a Covid test. Please avail as appropriate,” he said.

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