Tag Archives: Covid-19

Clare has gone 27 days without a positive Covid-19 case. The total number of positive cases in the county remains at 368. Nationwide there was no new Covid-19 deaths reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre but the total number of people to have lost their lives from the virus stands at 1,738. As of midnight Tuesday, the HPSC has been notified of 11 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 25,542 confirmed cases in Ireland. Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “A key element of our response to COVID-19 is ensuring that any person experiencing symptoms such ascough, shortness of breath, fever, loss of sense of smell or taste comes forward for testing. Please do not adopt a ‘wait-and-see’ approach, instead isolate yourself and contact your GP without delay.” The National Public Health Emergency Team meets again Thursday to continue its review of Ireland’s response and preparedness to Covidd-19.”

A sledgehammer is believed to have been used in suspected vandalism at John O’Sullivan Park (Lee’s Road) and calls are now being made for the introduction of CCTV cameras in the popular park. Councillor Mary Howard told a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that “over the past number of weeks there has been evidence of vandalism on the walking trails.” “Since May there has been evidence of young trees, saplings and branches being broken on a walkway locally called Bluebell Alley, there was also evidence of large rocks being both smashed and removed from the trail. This is creating a very dangerous ground surface for trips and falls. This destruction was not witnessed but it would appear to have been done after the park closed at night time as the trail is well used by walkers and runners throughout the day.” She said the damage to the rocks appears to have been caused by a sledgehammer, adding that the holes left …

It has been almost four weeks since the last positive case of Covid-19 was diagnosed in Clare. However over the last five months, 32 people have died from virus in the county while a total of 368 people have tested positive. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been informed that 1 person with Covid-19 has died. There has now been a total of 1,742 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight last Monday, the HPSC has been notified of 24 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 25,538 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. Dr. Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “As of 5pm this evening, the Covid Tracker App had approximately 545,000 downloads. This is one more example of the solidarity and collective spirit that has characterised the Irish public’s response to Covid-19 to date. “The app is an important tool to support our contact tracing systems. It has the …

Patients in the Ul Hospitals Group (ULHG) Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) at the University of Limerick (UL) are benefiting from a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to their ongoing rehabilitation when they are transferred to the facility from the group’s acute hospitals. The ICF was opened on June 8 in the reconfigured main hall of the UL Sport Arena, a fully equipped temporary hospital setting for non Covid-19 or post Covid-19 patients who no longer require acute medical attention, but who can benefit from ongoing rehabilitation and support before final discharge. In the ICF rehabilitation is the primary focus, based on a rounded, holistic vision of healthcare and wellbeing. Medical and healthcare expertise is directed toward supporting the patient’s readiness for discharge, not just physically building their strength and communication skills, but also preparing them mentally and helping to ensure their home or residential care setting is optimised before their discharge. The 68-bed ICF, which has capacity to scale up to 84 …

SHANNON Airport have written to staff today, informing them that workers will face significant pay cuts, while a voluntary severance scheme is also being introduced. Other cost saving measures will include career breaks, reduced working hours, temporary lay offs, a review of the management structure and internal operational structures. In a letter to staff, Chief Executive Mary Considine said that Covid-19 has had a “catastrophic impact” on aviation and tourism. “The outlook for this year, and beyond, is stark and the scale of the challenge we are facing is unprecedented,” she warned. While a number of cost saving measures have already been introduced, she said these “are not enough to bring the airport to anywhere close to breakeven in the medium term. What is required are further and more substantial reductions to our cost base. We need to reduce the number of people employed at the airport, to improve the operational flexibility to enable us to respond more efficiently to …

SENATOR Martin Conway has acknowledged the appointment of a senior minister from the Mid-West would have been beneficial for Clare but pointed there weren’t enough cabinet ministers to share amongst Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens in the new coalition. Asked about the criticism of the lack of a senior minister from Donegal all the way down to Limerick, he acknowledged this was fair commentary but believes the new role for Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton will be a major boost for Shannon Airport. He believes that the fact that Minister Naughton will have responsibility for aviation, international travel, road transport and logistics at the cabinet will be very beneficial for the Mid-West. “What is the point having a senior cabinet minister with a portfolio that may not necessarily impact on us in the Mid-West. “I think there is an awful lot more to be said to have someone sitting at the cabinet table holding a portfolio that can …

ONLY five healthcare workers were hired in the Mid-West following a national recruitment appeal during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, new figures have revealed. According to statistics obtained by Sinn Féin Health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly, only five healthcare staff were taken on through ‘Be On Call for Ireland’ in the region. They also show that just 185 health and social care workers have been hired through this scheme across the State out of 73,000 applicants. Deputy O’Reilly described the paltry recruitment of healthcare workers as “baffling”. “It beggars belief that with tens of thousands of health staff applying to work through ‘Be On Call for Ireland’ and in the face of an international healthcare crisis, that recruitment through the initiative has been so low,” she said. Dr Michael Harty said the recruitment of highly skilled qualified nurses, doctors and allied health professionals to permanent positions has been very patchy. The Kilmihil-based GP said several medics who assumed they would …

Former Minister of State Finian McGrath has been accused of not doing enough to provide day services for adults with disabilities during the Covid-19  lockdown. Councillor Ann Norton said Minister McGrath was still being paid as a minister of state during this period when it seemed as if he “disappeared off the planet”. The Clare Crusaders’ Clinic manager outlined her phone is “hopping” with calls from frustrated parents of adults and children with disabilities. The HSE stated recently that a national group representative of service users and families, providers and HSE are working together to prepare for the resumption of day service supports in line with Covid-19 guidance. Commenting on this plan, she described the lack of proper communication with parents of adults with disabilities during the lockdown as unacceptable. Councillor Norton stressed Minister McGrath should have done more to fast-track action to provide day services for people with disabilities during this period. “Finian McGrath has been a huge disappointment …