Tag Archives: Department of Public Health Mid-West

The Department of Public Health Mid-West has moved to make the public aware of an increasing incidence of influenza in the Mid-West region in recent weeks. Flu season starts in October and ends in April according to the Deprtment, and the Mid-West trend is similar to what is taking place around the country. Latest data suggests that the flu is now circulating in the community, and rates may rise more quickly in the coming weeks due to socialising in the Christmas season. A spokesperson said the Department is advising people to avail of the flu vaccine in order to reduce the risk of severe illness. “We are currently experiencing an earlier flu season, and we are concerned about the combined impact of COVID-19, influenza, RSV and other respiratory viruses. “This will add increased pressure on hospitals and General Practice with increased attendances from patients who are ill. We are concerned about the negative and disruptive impact on healthcare settings e.g. …

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 …

WITH Clare having recorded the second highest incidence rate of Covid-19 in Ireland over the Christmas period health authorities are appealing to the public to take care over social activity. The Department of Public Health Mid-West has said preliminary analysis indicates at least 2,300 new cases in the Mid-West region per day. The department added that the current high volume of cases may result in delays in data reporting, meaning that data may not be complete and up-to-date. Therefore, it is probable the real infection rate is higher due to the unprecedented levels of transmission across the three counties and nationwide. A spokesperson stated, “In recent weeks, we were notified of an outbreak of more than 80 people (age ranged from early 20s to late 30s) in a single community in the Mid-West. “Transmission occurred over a three-week period and involved multiple sources of exposure (e.g. social contact, household contact, education setting, workplace setting, etc). We believe outbreaks of this …

A SENIOR intensive care clinician has warned health services are on a “war time” footing due to increasing cases of Covid-19. The head of the intensive care unit at University Hospital Limerick, Dr Catherine Motherway, has also stated some healthcare services will have to shut down, if Covid-19 figures continue to rise. Her warning came before official figures revealed the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the Mid-West totalled 5,381 from November 9 to November 22. There were 1,361 new cases of the virus in Clare, 1,975 in Tipperary and 2,045 in Limerick during this 14-day period. The 14-day incidence for November 22 is 1,145 in Clare 1,237 in Tipperary and 1,049 in Limerick per 100,000 population. Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland earlier this week, Dr Motherway said that healthcare staff are “stretched and operating on a day-to-day basis” and noted that patients may not receive the same level of care as they would “in peace time”. She also revealed …

Deputy Michael McNamara has asked Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to provide a greater level of transparency concerning the number of Irish people who died from and with Covid-19. His call coincided with the publication of figures on Tuesday of 18 additional deaths related to Covid-19, one death occurred in October, 15 deaths in November and two are under investigation. Deputy McNamara has asked Minister Donnelly for a breakdown of patients who died primarily from Covid-19, those who died with Covid-19 but primarily from other causes and those who died from the virus, having acquired it in hospital. The Independent Deputy was told this is a matter for the HSE and was assured he will receive a reply in due course. He expects to receive a typical vague response from the HSE. The 14-day incidence rate of the virus continues to fall and remain relatively low in Clare. This rate, which had rocketed about 70% from September 17 to September 30, …