Thurles Information

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has confirmed that four cases of the Mu or B.1.621 variant of Covid have been identified in Ireland.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), to date, has designated this fifth strain of coronavirus as a ‘variant of interest’ but not a ‘variant of concern’. However, they have stated that the variant does have a constellation of mutations, which could make it more vaccine resistant than other strains of the virus currently in circulation, adding that further studies will be needed to confirm any concerns.

The variant, to date, has been recorded in 39 other countries and health authorities are currently trying to determine whether it is more resistant to vaccination than other known strains of coronavirus.

Since it was first identification in Colombia in January 2021, there have been a few sporadic reports of cases of the Mu variant and some larger outbreaks have been reported countries in South America and in Europe.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) report that these 4 cases were recorded before the end of August.

Republic of Ireland
The Department of Health has confirmed a further 1,789 new cases of Covid-19 here in the Republic of Ireland.
The number of people in our hospitals, suffering from the virus, currently stands at 360 patients, of whom 56 are being treated in our intensive care units, (ICUs).
The total number of deaths, confirmed from Covid-19 in the Republic, has now risen to 5,112, with 20 deaths confirmed in the past week.

NPHET in its latest communication to Government has stated that the virus situation here is most likely to get worse, before it improves, with the biggest risk occurring amongst those who are failing to get themselves vaccinated.

Northern Ireland
Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, their Department of Health has confirmed 1,472 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hour. A further 9 deaths of patients, who had previously tested positive for Covid-19, sadly, has also been reported.
This morning, in Northern Ireland, there were 418 Covid-positive patients in hospital, with 46 of these in intensive care.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that it is monitoring a new coronavirus variant known as “Mu” (known scientifically as B.1.621 variant), which was first identified in Colombia in January 2021. This virus variant has mutations that indicate a risk of resistance to current vaccines. Having, as stated been first detected in Colombia, “Mu” has since been reported in other South American countries and also in Europe.

Try To Stay Safe.

The Department of Health has reported 1,293 new cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland today.

There remain 382 people in our hospitals who have tested positive for the disease, a rise of 35 patients since yesterday. Of these, 61 are in our intensive care units, an increase of one overnight.

In Northern Ireland another 1,259 cases of coronavirus were reported today, up from 1,225 reported yesterday. There were 45 patients with Covid-19 in hospital intensive care units and, sadly, 6 further coronavirus-related deaths.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that an increase in Covid-19 transmission rates across Europe over the last two weeks, combined with low levels of vaccination in some countries, is deeply worrying. It feared another 236,000 Covid-19 deaths across Europe by December 1st of this current year.

Here in Ireland hesitancy over the taking of vaccine has taken a staggering drop over the last 10 months, with one in ten in the 18–24 age group stating they are unsure about the vaccine, there research based solely on misinformation obtained on social media.

The WHO European Director, Mr Hans Kluge has stated that this stagnation in vaccine uptake here in Europe is of serious concern and he attributed the higher transmissions of the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant to an exaggerated easing of restrictions, together with a surge in summer travel.

Stay Safe.