Galway Bay fm newsroom – The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 7 additional deaths related to COVID-19.

All of these deaths occurred in January.

The median age of those who died is 77 years and the age range is 43-94 years.

There has been a total of 2,977 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

As of midnight, Sunday 24th January, the HPSC has been notified of 1,372 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 188,923* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. 

Of the cases notified today:

• 616 are men / 751 are women
• 56% are under 45 years of age
• The median age is 41 years old
• 502 in Dublin, 164 in Cork, 77 in Wexford, 75 in Waterford, 66 in Louth and the remaining 488 cases are spread across all other counties. 

As of 2pm today, 1,905 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 219 are in ICU. 58 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community.

ENDS//

*Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification 3 confirmed cases. The figure of 188,923 confirmed cases reflects this.

• 7 Day Incidence is 296.3
• 5-day moving average is 1,926

Today’s cases, 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population and new cases in last 14 days (as of midnight 24 January 2021) (incidence rate based on Census 2016 county population)

Galway Bay fm newsroom – There’s been an increase in the number of people across Galway set to claim the Pandemic Unemployment Payment tomorrow.

Just over 25 thousand will receive the payment – that’s an increase of around 800 since this time last week.

Nationally, 475,000 will receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week – a slight increase on the figure for last week.

The sector with the highest number of people receiving the payment this week is accommodation and food services, which accounts for over 111,500 people.

It comes following todays reports that 4 in 10 workers in Kerry, Donegal, Dublin, Louth, Wexford and Carlow are in receipt of state income supports.

While the figure for Galway stands at 20 percent.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – The Chief Clinical Director at the Saolta Hospital Group has raised concerns over the level of outbreaks in hospital wards at UHG due to the standard of infrastructure.

At a COVID-19 briefing this afternoon, Professor Pat Nash told city councillors the infrastructure at ground and first floor levels of UHG has created challenges with outbreaks of the infection.

Professor Pat Nash said there has been multiple outbreaks on wards with a disease strain that appears to be much more infectious.

The meeting heard there are a number of long wards with multiple beds where patients have one toilet.

He pointed to the newer wards such as the Shannon, Corrib and Claddagh where there had been no outbreaks due to the level of en-suite facilities.

Group Chief Operating Officer Ann Cosgrove told the meeting there are 109 COVID-19 patients at UHG today with 15 in ICU.

360 staff are absent having either contracted the virus or being identified as close contacts.

There are 8 COVID-19 patients at Portiuncula hospital with 4 in ICU and 23 staff absent.

The meeting heard there is now reduced non COVID activity at the hospitals with the exception of very urgent time dependent surgeries.

Saolta CEO Tony Canavan gave an update on the vaccination programme advising the first phase of vaccination for residents in long term care was completed on Sunday, with the second phase due to start shortly.

He said vaccines have also begun for frontline healthcare workers with hopes supply will increase significantly by mid-February.

The Saolta Chief said it’s hoped the heath worker rollout can then be completed with the over 70s in the community the next priority.

City councillors praised frontline healthcare workers for their dedication and hard work during this time and made calls to ensure mental health supports were made available to the sector.

The meeting also heard calls for private hospital support to be ramped up to ensure cancer patients and other urgent care requirements are addressed.

Professor Pat Nash the 30% capacity agreement was triggered last week and talks are ongoing with the Bons Secours and The Galway Clinic.

The meeting heard a lot of medical oncology inpatient treatment was being transferred to the Galway Clinic in the last week, while the group is also looking to get more access for scopes in the Bns Secours facility.