The Department of Health has confirmed 3,578 additional cases of Covid-19 here in the Republic of Ireland, over the past 24 hours.
The number of patients with Covid-19 in hospital has increased to 520, same figure up 22 on the same time yesterday. Of these there remain 83 patients in ICU; an increase of 5 on yesterday’s reported figures.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Public Expenditure, Mr Michael McGrath has correctly stated that businesses in the hospitality sector, that do not enforce rules relating to Covid-19 vaccination passes, do not deserve to remain open. The Minister further stated that hospitality outlets that do not enforce the rules are placing every other person at risk.
Today’s numbers are now the highest in our hospitals since March 1st last, when there were 540 patients with Covid-19. The three hospitals with the highest number of Covid-19 cases are St James’s in Dublin with 44 cases, University Hospital Limerick; latter the medical facility serving North Tipperary with 37 cases and the Regional Hospital Mullingar with 33.
Europe is once again at the epicentre of the Covid pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, as cases soar across the continent. WHO Europe head Herr Hans Kluge has stated that the continent could see half a million further deceased persons by next February. He has blamed insufficient vaccine take-up by individuals for this rise.
Costa Rica has become the first country in the world to make Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for children. The vaccination will join the already extensive list of basic childhood vaccinations already required by law, health officials have stated.
The country has already signed a deal with Pfizer to acquire the necessary doses to start vaccinating all children under 12 years from March 2022.
A professor of Immunology here at DCU, Prof Christine Loscher has said that vaccinating children aged between 5 and 11 years will play a role in overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic and in preventing the onward spread of infection.
While mRNA vaccines have yet to be approved in Europe for this age group, evidence from Pfizer in the United States shows the vaccine reduces infection by 90.7% in this lower age population.
In Northern Ireland, their Department of Health has confirmed 1,228 new cases of the virus; with, sadly, a further 7 deaths of patients, latter who had previously tested positive for Covid-19. There are 395 Covid-positive patients in northern hospitals, 39 of whom are in intensive care.
Please do continue to keep yourself and your family safe by regularly washing your hands and wearing a mask when appropriate.
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