Galway Bay fm newsroom – A Galway West TD is expressing disappointment that the Galway Community COVID Assessment Hub located at Merlin Park remains closed.

Community assessment hubs are operated by the HSE to help manage the increase of COVID-19 cases in the community.

They aim to divert patients who have, or are suspected of having, the virus away from the acute hospital system, by providing a facility where patients can be seen and clinically assessed.

A hub was set up at Merlin Park Unit 3 following the first wave of the pandemic early last year and was later closed.

Sinn Féin Deputy Mairéad Farrell says despite the country now struggling with the worst phase of the pandemic, the unit remains closed.

She says the explanation from the HSE is that the nurses needed to run the hub have been redeployed….

Galway Bay FM Newsroom – A Galway Senator has raised concerns for the future of fishing communities due to new restrictions on UK trawler landings.

Senator Sean Kyne says restrictions regarding the landing of catches by UK trawlers are making the Brexit situation even more challenging for Irish coastal communities, particularly those involved in sea-food processing.

Following Brexit, UK trawlers are now classed as being from a third country and can only land catches at international ports in Ireland which are Killybegs and Castletownbere.

It’s understood this new restriction is due to a long-standing regulation that vessels from third party countries can only land at international ports.

Senator Kyne is also calling on the Government to produce its expanded list of Irish boats which can fish in UK waters as quickly as possible.

He says every effort must be made to change the rule so that UK trawlers are permitted to land catches at other ports.

Galway bay FM Newsroom – The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 13 additional deaths related to COVID-19.

All 13 of these deaths occurred in January.

The median age of those who died is 83 years, and the age range is 66 to 97 years. There was no newly reported death in healthcare workers. There was no newly reported death in a person under the age of 30.

There has been a total of 2,608 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

As of midnight, Saturday 16th January, the HPSC has been notified of 2,944 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 172,726 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. 

Of the cases notified today:

• 1,336 are men / 1,578 are women
• 57% are under 45 years of age
• The median age is 40 years old
• 1,065 cases are in Dublin, 306 in Cork, 181 in Galway, 180 in Kildare, 160 in Limerick and the remaining 1,052 cases are spread across all other counties.

As of 2pm today, 1,928 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised of which 195 are in ICU. 68 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said: “The situation in our hospitals is stark. We are seeing people of all ages being admitted to hospital and being taken into intensive care units. The levels of infection are such that your chances of transmitting or getting COVID-19 are very high, and we know that a proportion of those cases will lead to serious illness and mortality. There is no group who should feel the public health advice does not apply to them. It is only if we act together that we can keep ourselves, our loved ones, and health and social care facilities safe.”

“As we look forward to the week ahead, consider your choices and make the right ones. Do not go into work tomorrow if you can work from home. If you are an employer, facilitate remote working for your employees.”

The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community. The dashboard now includes information on Total Vaccines Administered (1st Dose).

Today’s cases, 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 and new cases in last 14 days (as of midnight 16 January 2021) (incidence rate based on Census 2016 county population)

The 7 day incidence rate is 529.1

The 5 day moving average is 3,439