There has been some signs of the growth of Covid-19 cases levelling off in Dublin though the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has warned the current rate of hospital admissions is growing “exponentially”.
Professor Philip Nolan, chairman of Nphet’s modelling group, has said the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals around the country is continually growing, with an average of 13 patients being admitted every day.
Prof Nolan said that admissions to intensive care units were also rising rapidly.
Sooner or later, we’re going to have to run up through those extra gears that have been built into our Covid management car, and we’re going to have to drive it fast and hard to really take it on a downward trajectory.
It comes as the total number of Covid-19 cases in Ireland reached 40,000 last night, after 506 new infections were confirmed.
UCC virus expert, Professor Gerry Killeen, said more restrictions will be needed to stop the recent upward trend.
“If the trajectory stays as it is, you know, there’s no reason why it wouldn’t be 1,000 cases a day by the end of the month, and there’s no reason that it wouldn’t just keep going up, 10,000 cases a day, those things can happen if we let them happen,” he said.
“Sooner or later, we’re going to have to run up through those extra gears that have been built into our Covid management car, and we’re going to have to drive it fast and hard to really take it on a downward trajectory.”
Dublin
It comes amid some hope that current Level 3 restrictions are having an effect in Dublin, as Covid-19 presentations to GPs have levelled off in the capital but are increasing in the rest of the country.
The new data comes from GP Buddy, which tracks the number of patients with symptoms attending doctors' surgeries.
Founder of the group Dr Shane McKeogh said: “Over the last two to three weeks, there’s been a slight levelling of the trajectory in Dublin of presentations to GPs, hopefully showing some effect of the Level 3 restrictions, and over the same time period there’s been an increase in the rest of the country.”
Globally, the number of Covid-19 cases reported hit a daily record yesterday. The World Health Organisation said there have been a further 338,779 infections confirmed.
