Tag Archives: contact tracing

IN the region of 221 healthcare staff across the UL Hospitals’ Group are self-isolating due to Covid-19 as all routine outpatient appointments and the majority of elective procedures remain cancelled in two public hospitals until Friday, November 20. The UL Hospitals’ Group has confirmed significant reductions in scheduled care at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and Ennis Hospital have been extended for a further week for patient and staff safety as both hospitals continue to manage a number of outbreaks of Covid-19. Six wards in UHL were closed to admissions last Friday and a total of 188 staff are currently off work and self-isolating across the group, having either tested positive for Covid-19 or being designated as close contacts. Outbreak control teams established in both locations continue to work closely with public health and occupational health colleagues and all the relevant HPSC guidance is being followed as we work to contain the virus and to protect patients and staff. Contact tracing …

CLARE is among the counties to report positive Covid-19 cases today (Sunday, August 16). There have been 66 new cases nationally. There have been no new deaths reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). There has now been a total of 1,774 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight Saturday, August 15, the HPSC has been notified of 66 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 27,257 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. Of the cases notified today; • 34 are men / 29 are women • 67% are under 45 years of age • 12 are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case • 3 cases have been identified as community transmission • The remainder of these cases are still under investigation • 21 in Kildare, 16 in Dublin, 6 in Limerick, and the rest of the 23 cases are in Clare, Donegal, Laois, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, …

AN ENNIS doctor is urging people with any symptoms of respiratory, or other infections, to see their GP and get tested for Covid-19, if advised to do so. Dr Máire Finn of Ennis Medical said people are presenting with a range of different symptoms and that there is a growing list of signs of Covid-19, as the scientific and health communities learn more about the disease. “Our knowledge of the symptoms is developing all the time,” Dr Finn said. “At first, we were aware of a very defined set. We have since seen people coming in with urinary symptoms and gastro-intestinal symptoms which have been linked to Covid-19. We’ve even seen an appendicitis case, where the Covid test came back positive. It’s difficult to tell if that was coincidental or if the appendicitis was triggered by the virus. Right now, we’re looking at any infective symptoms as potential indicators. As GPs, we will triage people and assess who needs to …

STUDENTS of the region’s main university have been involved in contact tracing in the fight against COVID-19 saying “the lists are long” but they are hoping to “make a difference”. University of Limerick, in partnership with the HSE, has set up the UL Virtual Hub with over 50 senior health sciences students trained to engage in contact tracing. The students, from medicine, allied health and nursing, are making calls to inform people that they have tested positive, as well as providing health advice. UL staff are managing the virtual contact tracing hub and are providing technical support and advice. A further 270 staff and students have signed up to volunteer in due course. 70 staff from Revenue, who were trained in UL, are responsible for follow-up calls to identify contacts of the person who has tested positive. “I am incredibly proud of both staff and students, who have put in huge amounts of work in relation to training and setting …