Tag Archives: Clare Covid-19

THE number of confirmed Covid-19 PCR cases in Clare is edging closer to 40,000, new figures have revealed. In total, there were 39,500 confirmed PCR cases in the Banner County on Wednesday, May 25, following 20 new diagnoses the day before. Allowing for people who have caught the virus twice, this means around one in three people in Clare have had Covid. There were 247 PCR cases in the Banner county over the last two weeks and the 14-day incidence in the county per 100,000 is 207.9% These latest figures only include PCR confirmed cases of Covid-19 and don’t include those who register online with a positive antigen test. Four out of the five electoral areas had a 14-day incidence rate that was higher than the national average of 209.60% from May 3 to May 16. There were 65 cases in the Kilrush Electoral Area, which translated into an LEA rate of 309. The number of confirmed PCR cases was …

A NORTH Clare family doctor is encouraging people to wear face masks in public places as four electoral divisions have recorded a 14-day incidence rate higher than the national average. Dr Michael Kelleher made the plea this week after official figures revealed there were 469 cases of Covid-19 in the Ennis Local Electoral Area (LEA) from March 1 to March 14. This translates into a 14-day incidence rate of 1,517, which is much higher than the national average of 1,188. The incidence of the virus was also high in the Shannon LEA where 445 cases were recorded during the same period, giving an incidence rate of 1,464 per 100,000. There were 265 case the Kilrush LEA where the incidence rate was 1,262. The Ennistymon LEA recorded 248 cases, which translates into an incidence rate of 1,511. Killaloe was the only LEA to record an incidence rate of 994 below the national average after the detection of 200 cases. Dr Kelleher …

VISITING restrictions remain in place for inpatient wards in University Hospital Limerick due to very high levels of Covid positive patients in the hospital and the high level of community transmission. The visitor ban has been in place since Sunday afternoon and the only exceptions are • parents visiting children in hospital • people assisting confused patients; for example, dementia • visiting on compassionate grounds; for example, for patients who are critically unwell or at end of life A spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group said, “We regret the imposition of visiting restrictions so soon after we began to lift them. The decision has been taken to help keep all patients and staff safe, and to ensure that the hospital’s essential services can remain open at this time.” Exemptions are limited to one person per patient and will be looked at on a case by case basis. In cases where exemptions apply, it is strongly recommend that the visitor is fully …

THE staff at the Department of Public Health Mid-West (Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary) are to be awarded an HSE Excellence Award for their work during the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020. Public Health Mid-West, which monitors and manages all emerging health risks and infectious diseases in the community for nearly 400,000 people in Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary, was one of 11 Public Health departments to receive this award, this Monday. Since March 2020, Public Health Mid-West has monitored and intervened in thousands of Covid-19 outbreaks, has charted the disease through surveillance of data and trends and contact tracing of complex situations, offered clinical advice to key priority settings, and frequently updated the public on evolving trends through enhanced communications. The HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry presented the 11 awards today to all regional Public Health departments, the National Immunisation Office, the Health Surveillance Protection Centre, and the Office of National Clinical Director Health Protection, via virtual …

RELIEF was palpable in Bodyke last weekend with the easing of pandemic restrictions and the return of customers to the long bar at The Cobbler’s Rest.  Like thousands of so-called ‘wet pubs’, the venue was hit hard by the pandemic, enduring months of complete closure. The pub, which had never served food, chose not to provide the now infamous €9 meal in an effort to keep the doors open. The result was that it remained shut down between March and September of 2020 and worked around various waves of restrictions in the 15 months that followed. “It’s like a cloud has been lifted over Bodyke last weekend,” said Susan McMahon, who runs the popular rural venue alongside Martin Butler. “The relief was palpable and there was a great sense of excitement on Saturday night. Ironically, I’d say a lot of people chose to go to a restaurant that night, so we were fairly quiet, but it was great for that …

VISITING has been restricted across both inpatient wards at Ennis Hospital from this Wednesday January 26, following an outbreak of COVID-19 on the Fergus Ward. Management of a COVID-19 outbreak on the Burren Ward also continues this week, and as a precautionary measure, visiting is not being permitted on both wards. An outbreak control team has convened and the visiting restrictions are being reviewed on a daily basis. Access to other areas of Ennis Hospital is unaffected and can continue as normal. The only exceptions to the visiting restrictions on both wards are: People assisting confused patients (e.g. dementia) (on a case-by-case basis); people visiting patients who are critically unwell or at end of life (on a case-by-case basis); these exemptions are limited to one person per patient only. A spokesperson for UL Hospitals said, “We regret any inconvenience the visiting restrictions cause for inpatients on the Fergus and Burren Wards, and for their loved ones. “Hospital management has decided …

CLARE publicans are getting ready for the expected resumption of normal trading after years of restrictions and rolling lockdowns. Popular Ennis bar Taylor’s was set to remain closed for the rest of January , but this morning Susan Taylor said those plans have now changed. “We are going to open next week and we’re just waiting to hear the news about the restrictions.” The pub does not serve food and the 8pm closing time had meant that opening just wasn’t worthwhile. However the expected resumption of normal trading times in the very near future has changed the outlook. In Newmarket on Fergus, John Quinlivan, who runs the Honk, is looking forward to normality resuming. “It was very hard, especially in a place like this where we wouldn’t open until the evening anyway. We’d open at five or six o’clock and you’re supposed to close again at 8pm, that’s very difficult.” He said that January is always a difficult month anyway, …

VISITING restrictions have been introduced at Ennis Hospital following an outbreak of Covid-19 on one of its wards. As a precautionary measure, visiting is not currently permitted on the Burren Ward. This decision is being reviewed on a daily basis. Visits to other areas of the hospital continue as normal. A spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group said, “We regret any inconvenience these restrictions cause for patients on the Burren Ward and for their loved ones. “An outbreak control team has convened, and hospital management has decided that it is necessary to impose the measures in the interests of patient safety and keeping essential services open for all patients. “We wish to reassure patients and their loved ones that all appropriate infection control precautions are being followed to minimise the risk of spreading infection among staff and patients within our health facilities, and also within the wider community.” The only exceptions to the visiting restrictions on the Burren Ward are: – …