Capacity boost as more critical care beds become free

With 717 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Meath, four patients were being treated in our Lady's Hospital in Navan yesterday (Monday) with one of those in Critical Care.

A further 17 are being treated for the virus in Drogheda with five in ICU beds.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre confirmed yesterday that a further 16 people with Covid-19 have died in Ireland, bringing the total to Covid-19 related deaths to 1,319. There were 266 new confirmed cases bringing the total to 21,772 confirmed cases in Ireland.

There is positive news regarding hospital capacity in Navan and Drogheda with 34 beds, four of them in Critical Care available in Navan, while Drogheda has a total of 45 available beds, seven of them in critical care.

Of the total confirmed cases of Covid-19 across the country by Saturday, 58 per cent were female and 42 per cent were male and the median age of confirmed cases was 49 years.

Some 2,840 cases (13 per cent) have been hospitalised and of those hospitalised, 364 cases have been admitted to ICU. 6,211 cases are associated with healthcare workers.

Dublin has the highest number of cases at 10,561 (49 per cent of all cases) followed by Kildare with 1,268 cases (six per cent) and then Cork with 1,175 cases (six per cent).

Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 63 per cent, close contact accounts for 34 per cent, travel abroad accounts for three per cent.

Meanwhile, Deputy Darren O'Rourke has welcomed the plan to ease public health restrictions in a safe and phased way, but said that getting testing and tracing right will be critical to the delivery of this plan. "There are a couple of things we need to get right if we are going to safely exit current restrictions, and chief among them is testing and tracing. Scaling up capacity is welcome, but we need much more than that - we need widespread community testing and efficient tracing. "We need to use the next two weeks to carry out detailed planning with different sectors to ensure that as workers return to work they return to a safe environment. There is also a lot of work to be done in the months ahead to re-open the many businesses that have had to close during this crisis.

As businesses across the county prepare to reopen in the coming weeks and months, Meath Chamber has welcomed additional financial supports for businesses, particularly SMEs, who have been impacted by COVID-19.

Meath Chamber Chief Executive Paula McCaul said, “The wide-ranging supports announced by Cabinet will be welcomed by the business community. What our members have been telling us over the past several weeks is that they need much more support to help fund overheads and working capital, particularly as we move to re-open the economy.

“The economic programme that will be required is unprecedented.

“The announcements from Government of new supports will be welcomed by businesses, particularly the announcements on commercial rates waivers, supports on tax liabilities and the new Restart Fund, which aims to provide grants to micro and small businesses. This particular scheme is a step in the right direction, as many businesses are facing huge challenges with liquidity and cash-flow.”

She welcomed confirmation that the Exchequer will replace funding lost to Local Government through waivers on rates with central funding.

Ms McCaul said funds must be capable of rapid drawdown and supports like the Wage Subsidy Scheme must be extended beyond the June deadline.