Health « Thurles Information

Covid-19 Update: Mon. 15th Feb. 2021 – Zero Deaths – 821 New Cases

Only YOU can stop the current chain of transmission.

This evening the Department of Health have confirmed that there have been Zero deaths caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; leaving the overall death toll, here in the Republic of Ireland, remaining at 3,948.

We further learn that there have been 821 new additional virus cases reported in the republic today. This leaves the current total number of confirmed cases, since conception, here in the Irish Republic, at 210,402.

There are 916 people with Covid-19 in hospital, and of that number, 157 are in ICU’s, according to Ireland’s COVID-19 Data Hub.

In Northern Ireland, sadly, 4 further people have died from Covid-19, with 234 new confirmed cases today.

The number of vaccinations against coronavirus is being increased, with over 80,000 people due to be inoculated in the coming week. Vaccine delivery at a community level was expected to begin today with GP’s receiving requested supplies. At a briefing on the vaccine programme, Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly stated that to date, 6,000 persons have been trained to vaccinate and 2 vaccination centres will be in Tipperary; i.e. Abbeycourt Hotel, Nenagh and Clonmel Park Hotel.

Keep in mind also that our local Doctors and Pharmacists, with whom we deal, will also be involved in this vaccination process.

Some 175,238 first doses of Covid-19 vaccines were administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) up to last Friday, with 89,999 having received their second dose.

The total world wide number of cases identified up to 5:30pm this evening, are now standing at almost 109 million confirmed cases, with global deaths well over 2.40 million.

Please Stay Safe – By Staying at Home.

Covid-19 Update: Sun. 14th Feb. 2021 – 17 Deaths – 788 New Cases

Only YOU can stop the current chain of transmission.

This evening the Department of Health have confirmed that, sadly, there have been 17 further deaths caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; leaving the overall death toll, here in the Republic of Ireland, remaining at 3,948.

We further learn that there have been 788 new additional virus cases reported in the republic today. This leaves the current total number of confirmed cases, since conception, here in the Irish Republic, at 209,582.

Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly has stated that he considers it is too early to say when Level 5 restrictions might be lifted. The Minister fears that the number of close contacts per case and the percentage of positive cases, especially in Dublin, are now once again rising.

Relative to midnight last night, (February 13th), 15 further cases of Covid-19 were confirmed over the previous 24 hours, here in Co. Tipperary, with 245 cases identified within the same area, and within the past 14 days.

Of the cases today; 315 are in Dublin, 61 in Galway, 59 in Meath, 42 in Louth, 33 in Kildare, with the remaining 278 cases located across all other counties.

There are 899 people with Covid-19 in hospital, and of that number, 160 are in ICU’s, according to Ireland’s COVID-19 Data Hub.

In Northern Ireland, sadly, 11 further people have died from Covid-19, with 176 new confirmed cases today.

As of Thursday Feb. 11th, the total number of 1st dose vaccines administered, sourced from the HSE’s vaccine information system, was 171,239. Some 89,834 people are understood to have now received two doses of the vaccine.

The New Zealand Prime Minister Ms Jacinda Ardern has ordered the city of Auckland into a snap lockdown for the first time in nearly six months, after three coronavirus cases emerged within their community. The total world wide number of cases identified up to 5:30pm this evening, are now standing at well over 108.6 million confirmed cases, with global deaths heading for 2.40 million.

Please Stay Safe – Stay at Home.

Snowdrops – Galanthus (Milk Flower).

Snowdrops, of which there are some 20 varieties identified of this bulbous perennial herbaceous plant; begin flowering in January. Almost every year this little flower lifts our spirits, informing us that Spring is just around the corner.

**January Snowdrops camouflaged against a gravel background.**

However, what is not commonly known is that there is very much more to our simple dainty snowdrop, than just meets the eye.

These small white drooping bell shaped flowers with their six petals, more properly identified as ‘Galanthus‘, (from the Greek meaning “Milk Flower”) can be found spread throughout Europe and the middle East and are not actually native to Ireland. The first human record of snowdrops was recorded by the Greek author Theophrastus, recorded in his book “Peri phyton historia” ( from the Greek, meaning “Enquiry into Plants”).

Snowdrops were possibly introduced into England by the Romans and later into Ireland during the early Plantation of Ulster in the 1600’s.

The presence of snowdrops is known to effective in pest control, as it contains a chemical called ‘Galanthus nivalis agglutinin‘ (GNA), latter known to possess a broad range of biological functions such as anti-tumour, anti-viral and anti-fungal activities.

Snowdrops are effective in deterring and possibly killing off small destructive sap-sucking insects like aphids (greenfly) and also nematodes (roundworms). Try growing them under your rose bushes.

Currently elements found in snowdrop are being used for the treatment of cognitive decline in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s patients and various other memory impairments, and also in treatments connected to post-polio paralysis and other neurological problems.

Snowdrops don’t often, if ever, multiply from seed here in Irish gardens due to our cold climate, latter which deters insects in coming out to assist with pollination. However, they will multiply by bulb offsets at the edge of their basal plate, with the original mother bulb nourishing them as they grow. After a couple of years, these small clumps of bulbs will enlarge to become quite dense and clumps can be split to be replanted elsewhere.

Covid-19 Update: Sat. 13th Feb. 2021 – 66 Deaths – 1,078 New Cases

Only YOU can stop the current chain of transmission.

This evening the Department of Health have confirmed that, sadly, there have been 66 further deaths caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; leaving the overall death toll, here in the Republic of Ireland, remaining at 3,931.

We further learn that there have been 1,078 new additional virus cases reported in the republic today. This leaves the current total number of confirmed cases, since conception, here in the Irish Republic, at 208,796.

Relative to midnight last night, (February 12th), 15 further cases of Covid-19 were confirmed over the previous 24 hours, here in Co. Tipperary, with 267 cases identified within the same area in the past 14 days.

Of the cases today; 433 are in Dublin, 139 in Galway, 52 in Limerick, 49 in Limerick, 43 in Mayo, with the remaining 362 cases located across all other counties.

There are over 898 people with Covid-19 in hospital, and of that number, 171 are in ICU’s, according to Ireland’s COVID-19 Data Hub.

In Northern Ireland, sadly, 10 further people have died from Covid-19, with 303 new confirmed cases today.

The Children’s Ombudsman Dr. Niall Muldoon, has stated that Covid-19 restrictions are bringing about major difficulties for parents of children with special needs. However, Dr. Muldoon, like so many of our politicians in opposition, failed to offer any, even basic, solutions to the Covid-19 pandemic problems being weathered by such parents.

Meanwhile, a helpline will be setup to operate at NUI Galway this weekend following an outbreak of Covid-19 among students within the university. The HSE confirm that following a risk assessment, many close contacts of known cases have now been identified.

As vaccine rollouts gathered pace around the world, the head of the EU’s disease control agency has warned that Covid-19 could last indefinitely, even as global infections slowed by nearly half in the last month.

The HSE has confirmed that almost all GP’s and practice nurses will have received at least their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of business on Sunday evening next. Some 5,000 doses of the Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines were currently being administered at vaccination centres around the country today and tomorrow.

As of Wednesday Feb. 10th, the total number of 1st dose vaccines administered, sourced from the HSE’s vaccine information system, was 166,863. Some 89,818 people are understood to have now received two doses of the vaccine.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has stated Gardaí have at last changed their approach at airport checkpoints. This follows reports that people with little regard for fellow citizens, were booking dental appointments in Tenerife, in order to avoid being fined for non-essential travel.

The total world wide number of cases identified up to 5:30pm this evening, are now standing at almost 108.3 million confirmed cases, with global deaths heading for 2.39 million.

Please Stay Safe – Stay at Home.

Covid-19 Update: Fri. 12th Feb. 2021 – 23 Deaths – 921 New Cases

Only YOU can stop the current chain of transmission.

This evening the Department of Health have confirmed that, sadly, there have been 23 further deaths caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; leaving the overall death toll, here in the Republic of Ireland, remaining at 3,865.

We further learn that there have been 921 new additional virus cases reported in the republic today. This leaves the current total number of confirmed cases, since conception, here in the Irish Republic, at 207,720.

Relative to midnight last night, (February 11th), 25 further cases of Covid-19 were confirmed over the previous 24 hours, here in Co. Tipperary.

Of the cases today; 414 are in Dublin, 87 in Cork, 51 in Kildare, 48 in Limerick, 47 in Meath, with the remaining 274 cases located across all other counties.

There are over 959 people with Covid-19 in hospital, and of that number, 173 people are in ICU’s, according to Ireland’s COVID-19 Data Hub.

The HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer has defended the pace of the vaccination roll-out plan in Ireland, saying people are being vaccinated as soon as same is delivered. As of 8:00am, the total number of 1st dose vaccines administered, sourced from the HSE’s vaccine information system, was 158,904. Some 89,380 people are understood to have now received two doses of the vaccine. (Data last Updated: Thursday, February 11, 2021.)

In Northern Ireland, sadly, 9 further people have died from Covid-19, with 407 new confirmed cases today.

A dental practice in Tenerife has stopped taking appointments from so called Irish patients, after it had experienced a surge in its bookings over the past fortnight. They claimed that some of the patients failed to show up. [One wonder why, obviously fear of the dentist?]

While a five-day lockdown has been ordered in the Australian state of Victoria, which includes the city of Melbourne; to control an outbreak of the highly infectious strain of Covid-19, first detected in the UK, we learn that the total world wide number of cases identified up to 5:30pm this evening, are now standing at almost 108 million confirmed cases, with global deaths at well over 2.37 million.

Please Stay Safe – Stay at Home.