Health « Thurles Information

Consumable Items Recalled By Food Safety Authority Yesterday.

The five consumable items, pictured hereunder, are being recalled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), due to the presence of the unauthorised pesticide ethylene oxide. This pesticide is forbidden in Europe, as it is known to be carcinogenic and mutagenic.

The consumables to be avoided include:-
(1) Batches of Seven Seas Omega-3 and Immunity 30 Day Duo Pack. [Batch 247548: Best Before Jul-22; Batch 247549: Best Before Jul-22 and Batch 256666: Best Before March-23.]
(2) Batches of True Natural Goodness Organic Turmeric Powder. [All best before dates between 10/11/2022 to 11/03/2023.]
(3) Batches of Carte D’or Strawberry Ice Cream. [L1123CL020, L1146AL020, L1146BL020 and L1147BL020; best before: 05/2023]
(4) Batches of Nestle Milkybar Mini Multipack Ice Cream. [6 x 50ml – Batch code Ml099 best before 04.2023.]
(5) Batches of Nuii Salted Caramel Ice Cream. [90ml Batch codes Ml1114 and Ml1115 – best before 04.2023.]

Ethylene oxide is a pesticide that is not permitted for use in foods sold in the EU, but is approved for use by other countries outside the EU.

Although the consumption of the contaminated products does not pose an immediate acute risk to health, there is an increased risk if there is continued consumption of ethylene oxide in contaminated food over a long period of time. Therefore, exposure to ethylene oxide needs to be minimised.

Point-of-sale recall notices will be displayed in stores supplied with and retailing the implicated batches.

Ethylene oxide is also used as a surface disinfectant that is widely put into service in hospitals and the medical equipment industry, to replace steam in the sterilization of heat-sensitive tools.

Today: 3,365 New Covid-19 Cases On Island Of Ireland.

The Department of Health in the Republic of Ireland has confirmed 1,978 new cases of Covid-19 within the last 24 hours up 75 on yesterday’s daily figures. There remain 221 people in our hospitals who have tested positive for the disease and of these 43 are confined to ICU’s, an increase of six patients in the past 24 hours.

The Department of Public Health Mid-West has reported a sudden increase in Covid-19 cases within the region, mostly connected to widespread community transmission over the past 7 days. The Department has recorded 824 Covid-19 cases over the past 14 weeks, with 126 located in north Co. Tipperary; 515 in Co. Limerick and 183 in Co. Clare.
Yesterday alone saw the highest daily increase in the region, involving a total of 85 cases, 23 of which were in north Co. Tipperary; 50 in Co. Limerick, and 12 in Co. Clare. At least 168 of the individuals affected had attended hospitality settings over the past three weeks.

In Northern Ireland, there have been 1,389 new confirmed cases of the virus confirmed in the last 24-hours, with sadly 4 further deaths of patients who had tested positive for the virus.

Both the above confirmed figures bring to 3,365 the number of new Covid-19 cases confirmed on the whole island of Ireland, over the past 24 hours.

Here in the Irish Republic 6.28 million vaccines have now been administered, with over 80% of adults population fully vaccinated and almost 90% partially vaccinated.

This information comes as the Health Service Executive confirm that 71,000 children, aged 12-15 years, have to-date registered for Covid-19 vaccinations.

Today: 3,513 Covid-19 Cases On Island Of Ireland.

The Department of Health has confirmed a further 1,903 confirmed cases of Covid-19 here in the Irish Republic . The number of people in our hospitals with the virus, today stands at 219, up 13 patients on yesterday, of whom 37 are in our ICU’s, an increase of 1 on yesterday’s figures.

The Department of Health in Northern Ireland have confirmed a further 1,610 cases of coronavirus today, up from 1,467 on Wednesday.
There are 341 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals in Northern Ireland, with 42 patients with Covid-19 in their intensive care units.

Both the above confirmed figures bring to 3,513 the number of new Covid-19 cases confirmed on the whole island of Ireland, just over the past 24 hours; an increase of 228 on yesterday’s figures.

Here in the republic of Ireland, there have been, sadly, a total of 169 Covid-19 deaths since the beginning of April 2021.
Note: While some of those who died would have had underlying conditions, including 7 persons who were fully vaccinated; 94 deaths occurred in April 2021; 37 in May 2021; 14 in June 2021; 16 in July 2021 and to-date in August sadly a further 8 deaths.

The risk of ending up seriously unwell for the vast majority of people is now preventable because of the implemented vaccination programme. In relation to death reporting; since mid-May, there has been a difficulty in reporting figures for Covid-19 deaths, due to the Russian cyber-attack on the HSE’s outdated IT systems.

It has been confirmed that more than three million people have been to-date fully vaccinated in Ireland and by this weekend 90% of adults will be at least partially vaccinated while 80% will be fully vaccinated.

News on the positive side.

Irish citizens and businesses have so far donated more than one million Covid vaccines to poorer countries, through a UNICEF campaign. The ‘Get a Vaccine, Give a Vaccine’ campaign has raised more than €2.5 million since it was launched last June.

The HSE Health Service Executive have, since last night, opened registration for vaccination for children aged 12 to 15 years. Already by mid-morning today, over 42,000 non vaccinated children had signed-up according to HSE figures, with many having already received appointments for this coming weekend. Around 280,000 children will be eligible for immunisation with either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Parents and guardians are being asked to keep in the forefront of their minds that the Covid virus remains a risk to anyone who has not suffered from the virus or who remains unvaccinated.

Limerick Hospital – Worst Overcrowding – Treating Largest Number Of Covid Cases

As North Tipperary politicians congratulate themselves, via social media, in relation to the “welcoming” of progress on projects for which they personally have had no hand, act or part in; staff at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) are being totally ignored. Latter medical facility, which serves the residents of North Tipperary, are today treating the highest number of Covid-19 patients (16) and patients with suspected cases of the virus (13) in the Irish Republic.

Not surprisingly, due to this same political abandonment and parliamentary shabbiness, same UHL staff are also left caring for the largest number of seriously ill patients within the Irish State; same resigned to lie for days on trolleys.

Management at UHL were recently, and not for the first time, forced to introduce visiting restrictions in an effort to manage an outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, on a number of wards within the facility.

In the past fortnight, there were some 732 cases of Covid-19 virus in the mid-west region alone, the majority being in Co.Limerick (469 cases), followed by Co. Clare (163 cases), and North Co. Tipperary (100 cases); same numbers confirmed by the Department of Public Health Mid West region.

The availability of general beds at UHL has improved somewhat, from zero beds available (August 8th 2021) to 14 available beds yesterday, according to figures provided by HSE . As at that date, there were 4 ICU beds remaining at the Limerick hospital facility, with 1 Covid patient being treated in intensive care.

Yesterday at UHL, there were 43 patients assigned to trolleys, awaiting for admission to a bed, including 31 in the Limerick emergency department, and 12 on hospital wards; again confirmed figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

Previously on August 3rd there were 55 patients on trolleys in the Limerick hospital’s emergency department and on wards; same the highest number reported in any hospital within the Irish State, so far in the month of August.

Some 98 single beds opened at UHL, just last January 2021, have not yet been used to offset overcrowding at UHL emergency department. The reason for this is mainly because they were being used for seriously-ill patients, all deemed to be at highest-risk of death, should they contract Covid-19 which had already broken out within the overcrowded UHL facility.

The recent recorded surge of patients, which was experienced in UHL last July was due mainly to a wave of older people attending, who had experienced delayed care because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and were acutely ill due to same unavoidable neglect. Same patients, when attending were quite ill, so there was a greater need for longer hospital stop overs.

So Tipperary politicians please, enough of this old fashioned self-congratulatory “welcoming” and “calling for” nonsense, which we are fully aware you have had no hand, act or part in personally; rather address current problems which your electorate elected you to undertake.

Today: 3,285 Covid-19 Cases On Island Of Ireland.

The Department of Health has confirmed 1,819 new cases of Covid-19 within the Irish Republic. There are 206 people in our hospitals, with 36 of these virus patients in our ICU’s; latter up 3 cases on yesterday.

Over 78% of adults have now been fully vaccinated against the virus representing almost just 60% of our total population. Over 89% of adults have received one dose and the vaccine portal will open for children aged 12-15 years, from tomorrow.

Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, sadly, 3 further deaths of patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been confirmed. There have also been 1,467 new confirmed cases in the last 24-hour reporting period, with 321 Covid-positive patients in hospital; 40 in intensive care.

Both these confirmed figures bring to 3,285 the number of new Covid-19 cases confirmed on the whole island of Ireland, just over the past 24 hours an increase of 473 on yesterday’s figures.

Drug Tests:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced major international trials of three drugs to find out whether they can improve the condition of patients who are/will be hospitalised due to the Covid pandemic. The drugs artesunate, imatinib and infliximab will be tested on thousands of volunteer patients in more than 600 hospitals in some 52 countries in an effort to improve the long term effects, being suffered by those struck down by the virus pandemic.

We understand that artesunate is already used to treat severe malaria; imatinib is a drug used for certain cancers, while infliximab is a treatment for immune disorders such as Crohn’s and rheumatoid arthritis.

Education:
Primary and secondary schools which are due to reopen within the next two to three weeks, will find out next week when they will receive carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors. Same is expected to help monitor air quality in available classrooms.

Business:
The Irish Small and Medium Enterprise association (ISME) has said employers should be allowed to ask if employees have been vaccinated before deciding if they can be allowed to return to offices. The leading business representative group state that businesses would be acting irresponsibly should they fail to do so.