The Department of Health has confirmed 2,605 new cases of Covid-19 over the past 24 hours here in the Irish Republic.
There are 487 patients in hospital with the virus, down 16 on the same time yesterday and of these 99 patients are being treated in ICUs across the country, a decrease of 2 on yesterday’s reported figures.
Hundreds of hospital procedures are being cancelled each week, as our health system struggles to cope with COVID cases; rising numbers of patients on trolleys and healthcare staff out sick.
An Tánaiste Mr Leo Varadkar has stated that the Government is considering a dedicated campaign on vaccinations in an attempt to reach out to communities who do not speak the English language.
His remarks come as the Central Statistics Office data shows that eastern European nationals, working in the Republic, show the lowest rates of vaccination at 44%, compared to 67% of Western European nationals and 90% of Irish nationals.
The deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn says precautions should be taken to reduce children’s activities over the remainder of the Halloween midterm, due to the recent rise in Covid-19 cases.
A total of 4,393 cases were reported in children aged 5-12 in the two weeks to Monday last, compared to 2,930 over a similar time-frame earlier this month.
The Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly has confirmed that people who are deemed close contacts, of any Covid-19 case, will now be sent antigen tests with effect from today. Under this system, people can use the antigen tests at their home, if they are both fully vaccinated and do not display symptoms.
In Northern Ireland, their Department of Health has confirmed an additional 1,122 Covid cases, with, sadly, 9 further deaths in the same 24 hour period.
Russia has reported a record 1,159 deaths from Covid in the past 24 hours resulting in shops, restaurants and schools shutting in Moscow; in a partial lock-down, as Russia battles record Covid deaths and infections.
Today, only essential shops like supermarkets and pharmacies are allowed to open in the capital, while food outlets can only provide takeaways. Perhaps not so wise, authorities have also given workers across Russia nine days off from Saturday next in a bid to curb 40,096 new infections in 85 regions of their State.
NPHET continues to urge people here in the Irish Republic who have been offered a vaccine, to take it and importantly to make sure to present themselves for their second vaccine dose.
Choosing to get vaccinated is an act of protection for yourself,
as it may save your life; but it is also an act of solidarity with others; the more of us that get vaccinated, the safer we all will be.
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