Thurles Information

The Department of Health has confirmed 4,022 new coronavirus cases in the Irish Republic, over the past 24 hours.

The number of people with the virus in our hospitals stands at 530, a decrease of 13 on yesterday’s reported figures and of these, there are 115 patients in intensive care units, down 3 on yesterday’s total.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) have confirmed that 5 more cases of the Omicron variant have been detected, bringing to 6 the total number of cases identified, following whole genome sequencing; with a number of other probable cases currently under investigation.

The Health Service Executive has stated that the first delivery of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines for children is expected to arrive in Ireland next week. The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) is advising that the vaccines should be given in a two-dose schedule, three weeks apart and around 480,000 primary school children will now be offered a vaccine.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, has stated that although the Omicron variant is new, early understanding gives confidence that a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine will offer good protection against Omicron and Delta infection.

In Northern Ireland, 1,819 new coronavirus infections have been confirmed over the same period. As of today, the number of positive cases confirmed in the past 7 days was 12,281.

There were 338 patients with Covid-19 in northern hospitals, up from 329 reported yesterday, with 38 patients in hospital intensive care units, latter unchanged since yesterday.
Sadly, 4 more Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland today.

It is now essential that we continue to listen to science and keep ourselves and our families safe by regularly washing our hands; wearing a mask when appropriate, and cut down on unnecessary social contacts.

A 58 year old Physician, named as Dr Ragheb Nouman, who was employed previously as a locum in seven Irish hospitals, (including South Tipperary General Hospital, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary), since his arrival in Ireland in 2018; had failed to disclose to the Irish Medical Council (IMC) that he had been struck off the UK Medical Register, some two years earlier, for substandard clinical performance and making racist remarks against Indian colleagues.

Dr Nouman, a father of three, appeared before a ‘Fitness to Practise’ inquiry yesterday, facing accusations of professional misconduct and poor professional performance, while informing the IMC that he was working in Romania, when in truth he was, in fact, employed in the United Kingdom, before having his name removed from the UK medical register in January of 2016.

Dr Nouman, who qualified as a doctor in Romania in 1991, is accused of providing information which he knew to be untrue on his application form, latter required in order to register as a doctor here in the Irish Republic, in April of 2018; erasing all of his previous work history which related to the UK, from this initial application.

Syrian born Dr Nouman, who worked as a locum senior house officer for short periods in seven Irish hospitals, between September 2018 and April 2019, was struck off the medical register in the UK, following an inquiry which found his clinical work unacceptable and that he had made comments of a racist nature.

The hearing was adjourned until next week.

The Department of Health has confirmed 5,590 further Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours, in the Republic of Ireland.

The number of people currently in hospital with the virus stands at 505, a decrease of 31 since yesterday, however, there are 117 Covid patients in intensive care units, up 7 on yesterdays reported figures.

The Taoiseach Mr Micheál Martin has informed the Dáil that tens of thousands of people are not turning up for booster vaccines. In the week beginning November 22nd, some 208,000 vaccine appointments were offered to the public and unbelievably just 80,000 people only met their appointment.

Last week 180,000 booster appointments were available with only 93,000 attending. Currently, some 1,005,656 boosters doses had been successfully given.

Another 1,658 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Northern Ireland on today, up from 1,635 on Monday.

Today, there were 317 patients with Covid-19 in northern hospitals, up from 301 on yesterday. Sadly, 5 more Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland today.

In New York, the biggest city in the United States, Mayor Mr Bill de Blasio has announced a blanket Covid-19 vaccine mandate for the private sector; beginning from the end of this month.

It is now essential that we continue to listen to science and keep ourselves and our families safe by regularly washing our hands; wearing a mask when appropriate, and cut down on unnecessary social contacts.