Tag Archives: Clare Covid-19

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: – …

THERE has been a 20% hike in the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 being treated in University Hospital Limerick (UHL), which is now the highest in the country, writes Dan Danaher. As of January 19, there were 84 confirmed cases of the virus being treated in UHL, which was the highest in the country. This compared to 74 in Galway University Hospital, 56 in the Mater, 50 in St Vincent’s Hospital and 46 in Connolly. A week earlier there had been 70 confirmed cases of Covid-19 being treated in UHL, which was the second highest in the country after Galway University Hospital on 78. Nine of the confirmed cases in UHL were being treated in ICU and there was no spare intensive care bed on this day. UHL was also treating 27 suspected cases of the virus last week. UHL is also treating 20 suspected cases of the virus, which is the second highest in the country. St James …

VISITING restrictions are in place at University Hospital Limerick in an effort to manage an outbreak of Covid-19. Three wards are currently affected but UL Hospitals Group, as a precautionary measure, is restricting visiting on all inpatient wards at UHL. Restrictions on visits to the Emergency Department, Acute Surgical Assessment Unit, and Acute Medical Assessment Unit at UHL also remain in force. The only exceptions to the visiting ban are: parents visiting children in hospital; 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). All these exemptions are limited to one person per patient only. A spokesperson for the group said, “We regret any inconvenience this visiting ban causes for patients and their loved ones. Our outbreak control team has convened and hospital management has decided it is now necessary to impose these measures in the interests of patient safety and keeping essential …

CLARE recorded the second highest incidence of Covid-19 from St Stephen’s Day to New Year’s Day, writes Dan Danaher. The incidence rate in Westmeath was the highest at 3,056.2 per 100,000 people. This was followed by Clare, with an incidence of 1,974 per 100,000 and Kilkenny at 1,855.2 per 100,000, while it reached 1,820 per 100,000 in Longford. People who were infected had to isolate while close contacts were forced to restrict their movements. There were 70 confirmed cases of Covid-19 being treated in University Hospital Limerick (UHL), on Tuesday, January 11, which was the second highest in the country after Galway University Hospital on 78. Nine of the confirmed cases in UHL are being treated in ICU and there was no spare intensive care bed on Tuesday. UHL is also treating 27 suspected cases of the virus. The high number of cases in hospital comes after the Mid-West Public Health Department warned their preliminary analysis indicates that they are …