Health « Thurles Information

Today, March 22nd Is World Water Day.

Here in Thurles Town river walkways are expanded, using tarmac, while the water quality of the River Suir itself remains totally ignored by both Thurles Municipal District and Tipperary Co. Council.

The River Suir here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary like so many waterways, in less than 20 years has gone from being pristine clear water to the imitation of almost an open sewer.

Who is responsible for the management of watercourses?

World Water Day is held on March 22nd every year. It is an annual United Nations Observance, first begun in 1993, and held every year since, which is supposed to celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2 billion people currently living without access to safe, clean water.

**River Suir passing through Thurles** Town.

Not that many people care, but World Water Day is supposed to highlight the importance of fresh water and the sustainable management of this most precious of God given resources.

This years World Water Day event focused on groundwater quality and highlight a reminder urging the public to engage with the draft River Basin Management Plan public consultation, which closes at the end of this month.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (whose press releases are regularly featured here on Thurles.Info), recent reports have indicated that nitrate concentrations in our groundwater are continuing to increase.

In the words of groundwater expert and 2020 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate, Mr John Cherry, groundwater is “the Earth’s life support system”. It regulates the freshwater cycle, acting as a giant sponge that can absorb surplus water and mitigate shortages, making it of vital importance in terms of adaptation to climate variability.

Of significant concern is the fact that Ireland is now experiencing a sustained decline in water quality. From a total number of 4842 water bodies in Ireland, the status of our water in lakes, rivers and coastal waters as “good status” or better lies at between 50 and 53%.

Overall, water quality is in decline due to a number of pressures including agricultural activity, hydro-morphology and urban waste water.

Key measures required to address the decline in water quality include reducing the loss of soil from farmland into water, reducing the physical impacts on waters caused by drainage measures barriers such as weirs and continued investment in urban and rural water services.

A key tool in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the next River Basin Management Plan will contain the programme of measures that will help Ireland protect, improve and sustainably manage our water environment to 2027.

Achieving good water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries and seas is essential for protecting Ireland’s drinking water sources, environment and people’s quality of life.

As part of the consultation process, over 1000 people have attended 63 regional meetings held by the Local Authority Water Programme (LAWPRO) throughout the country, to receive information on the draft River Basin Management Plan and have their say on measures to improve water quality over the next five years.

A programme of stakeholder engagement has also taken place through meetings with environmental NGOs, agricultural groups, Local Authorities and other water groups.

Members of the public can submit their views on water quality via the public consultation HERE.

New Covid-19 Cases Reach 26,601 On Irish Mainland Today.

The Department of Health here in the Irish Republic, today, has confirmed 7,729 PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19, as well as 15,973 positive antigen tests; latter logged through the HSE portal, thus bringing the overall total number of cases to 23,702.

As of 8:00am today, 1,338 Covid-19 patients were in the Republic’s hospitals, which is an increase of 30 on yesterday’s reported figures. Of those, 61 patients were being treated in ICU’s around the country, an increase of 12 on yesterday.

Professor of Biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin, Mr Luke O’Neill has urged people to get their third Covid vaccination and for those that are vulnerable, to get a fourth jab against the coronavirus. He said the current level of Covid-19 is putting a lot of pressure on our hospitals and that may lead to a curtailment of other medical services.

An Tánaiste Mr Leo Varadkar has stated that the message from Government on masks wearing remains that wearing them is advised in certain settings, while the Irish Nurses & Midwife Organisation (INMO) are calling for the wider use of face masks.

In Northern Ireland a further 2,899 cases of coronavirus were reported today, up from 2,007 cases confirmed yesterday.

There are 519 people with Covid currently in northern hospitals, up from 484 recorded yesterday, with 7 patients confined, with the virus, to northern intensive care units.

Sadly, 8 new Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland today, bringing the total number of deaths linked to the virus, since the start of the pandemic, to 3,282.

Let’s get back to sanitising hands and wearing those masks at least while out shopping and while in attendance at other public crowded gatherings.

New Covid-19 Cases Reach 16,662 On Irish Mainland Today.

The Department of Health here in the Irish Republic has reported 4,024 PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19 today. A further 10,631 people have registered a positive antigen test through the HSE portal, bringing the overall total of cases in the Republic to 14,655.

There have been 63,954 cases reported since St. Patrick’s Day with; beginning Thursday, March 17th, – 5,231 PCR-confirmed cases and 8,322 people registering a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.
On Friday, March 18th, – 5,628 PCR-confirmed cases and 6,313 people registering a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.
On Saturday, March 19th, – 4,787 PCR-confirmed cases and 6,774 people registering a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.
On Sunday, March 20th, – 5,067 PCR-confirmed cases and 7,177 people registering a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.

A fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine is expected to be approved for use here in the Republic of Ireland, close to the middle of this year; before the winter season sets-in, according to An Tánaiste Mr Leo Varadkar.

The Chief Clinical Officer of the HSE, Dr. Colm Henry has stated that there are now multiple opportunities for the virus to transmit within communities, but the most important preventative measures continues to be vaccination and a booster dose.

Dr. Henry further stated that Limerick Hospital (serving North Tipperary), Dublin’s Mater Hospital and hospitals in Kerry and Letterkenny are today dealing with a significant number of Covid positive patients.
Indeed, due to the very high levels of community covid-19 transmission, University Hospital Limerick, have once again re-introduced visiting restrictions as and from Saturday last.

In Northern Ireland over the past 24 hours, 2,007 cases of coronavirus were reported, up from 1,640 cases on yesterday.

There are 484 people with Covid in northern hospital, down from the figure of 509, last reported on Friday, with 5 patients remaining in intensive care suffering from the virus.

Sadly, 1 further new Covid-19-related death has also been reported in Northern Ireland today; bringing the total number of deaths linked to Covid-19, since the start of the pandemic to 3,274.

Meanwhile, China and Hong Kong are seeing their largest spike in Covid cases in more than 2 years, despite determinedly pursuing one of the world’s strictest virus elimination regulations. China currently has imposed stay-at-home orders on millions more people in the country’s northeast.

More than 10.9 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered, in at least 197 countries worldwide, up until yesterday, making this is the largest vaccination programme in the worlds history.

Let’s get back to sanitising hands and wearing those masks while out shopping and while in attendance at other public crowded gatherings.

New Covid-19 Cases Reach 16,487 On Irish Mainland Today.

The Department of Health here in the Irish Republic has reported 5,452 PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 8,644 positive antigen tests recorded through the HSE portal.
This brings the overall total of virus cases to 14,096 here in the Irish Republic, over the past 24 hour period.

As of this morning, there were 1,081 people with the virus in hospitals, up 34 on the same time yesterday.
Also this morning, there were 44 patients with the virus in intensive care units around the Republic, an increase of 2 in the past 24 hours.

A total of 7,816,015 vaccines for Covid-19 (excluding boosters) has been administered in the Republic of Ireland as of Monday last.

A total of 3,822,650 people have had their first dose and 3,753,718 have had their second dose, while 239,647 single-dose vaccines have also been administered.

Sadly 2 further deaths have also been reported in the Irish Republic, bringing the total number of deaths linked to Covid-19, since the start of the pandemic, to 6,638.

In Northern Ireland, a further 2,391 confirmed cases of the virus have also been notified in the last 24-hour reporting period, down from 2,605 cases reported yesterday.

This morning, there were 515 Covid-19 patients in hospital, up from 506 yesterday; with 4 of these patients in intensive care.

Sadly, the northern Department of Health have confirmed that 5 more people, who had previously tested positive for Covid-19, have died, bringing the total number of deaths linked to Covid-19, since the start of the pandemic, to 3,263.

The figures shown above for the Irish mainland, when totted up, reach 16,487 or a decrease of 2,137 cases on yesterday, reported figures.

Let’s get back to sanitising hands and wearing masks, while out shopping and in attendance at other public crowded gatherings, during this upcoming St. Patrick’s day festival.

New Covid-19 Cases Reach 18,624 On Irish Mainland Today.

The Department of Health has confirmed that there were 6,284 PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19, with a further 9,735 people registering a positive antigen test, through the HSE portal.
This brings the overall total of virus cases to 16,019 here in the Irish Republic over the past 24 hours.

There has been yet another rise in the number of people with Covid-19 referred to our hospitals in the Irish Republic. As of this morning, there were 1,047 people with the virus in our hospitals across the country, up 5 on the same time yesterday and of these 42 remain in intensive care units, latter figure unchanged from yesterday.

In Northern Ireland, 2,605 positive cases have been confirmed in the past 24 hours, up from 1,822 cases on yesterday.

There are 506 people with Covid in northern hospital, up 43 on yesterday and of these 4 Covid patients remain in intensive care.

Sadly 5 more Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland today, bringing the total number of deaths, linked to Covid-19, in the region, since the start of the pandemic to 3,258.

The figures shown above for the Irish mainland, when totted up, reach 18,624 or an increase of 7,431 new cases in the past 24 hours.

Let’s get back to sanitising hands and wearing masks, while out shopping and in attendance at other public crowded gatherings, during this upcoming St. Patrick’s day festival.