Tag Archives: coronavirus

This afternoon.

Special Covid-19 Committee meeting.

Committee Chairman, Independent TD Michael McNamara questioned Dr John Cuddihy, Director, Health Protection Surveillance Centre, HSE, on how rona deaths are counted.

Michael McNamara: “Dr Cuddihy, if someone shows no symptoms of Covid and they have a heart attack and are brought to hospital and they are tested and it is found they have Covid and they die soon thereafter – but this is someone who has demonstrated no symptoms whatsoever – are they recorded as a Covid death or not? If they have tested positive for Covid but ultimately came to hospital because they had a heart attack or a stroke or fallen off the roof of a building or something like that?”

Dr John Cuddihy: “We adhere to the World Health Organisation case definition in terms of recording and reporting deaths so in the situation you describe, where someone has a positive Covid test and it is a death in a confirmed Covid case but such a case would be subject to a coroner’s report aswell, and as part of the ongoing validation of data in our surveillance system, we wouldn’t…”

McNamara: “Obviously a coroner’s report takes a very long time to work its way through the system. So, for now, they are recorded as a Covid death? And maybe they are taken off that list at a later date. is that what you are saying?

Dr Cuddihy: “That’s it exactly.”

Meanwhile…

This morning.

On RTÉ’Radio One’s Today with Claire Byrne.

Further to scenes of students in Galway not social distancing….

Ms Byrne had this exchange with Fianna Fáil Senator Ollie Crowe (above).

Claire Byrne: “You have said today that it’s time to start thinking about putting the army boots on the street to sort this out.”

Ollie Crowe: “Well, Claire, you know I’m from the inner city myself and what I would say at this stage is that you know the gardai are under enormous pressure, they’ve a very challenging job on their hands in Galway. And particularly, you know, in the last, as you’re well aware, it’s Fresher’s Week here in Galway and there’s huge challenges in Galway and other cities.

And I think it’s appropriate for Government, you know, to examine how we can allocate additional resources to the gardai. As an army town here in Galway, we have the barracks in Renmore and I’ve no doubt that the officers, you know, stationed there, would be willing to pitch in and assist the gardai if that was required.”

Byrne: “It’s a serious move, putting an army on the streets?”

Crowe: “Well, look it, as I said, you know I was in touch with the gardai on Sunday night also, and last night. And look it, what I am calling on and what I will be relating to my colleagues is that they, the gardai supported this juncture, you know, they really, really, are under-resourced in Galway with Fresher’s Week and with students coming back…”

Um.

Earlier: Looking Fresh

Meanwhile…

Anyone?

Last night.

Galway city.

In a statement to Extra.ie, Gardai said

‘Gardai attended the scene of a gathering of people that occurred in the Galway city area at approximately 10pm.

‘The crowd was dispersed without incident and Gardai advised people present of the relevant health guidelines in place.

‘Gardai are not investigating breaches of Public Health Regulations by those in attendance.

‘There are no penal regulations prohibiting [a] person/persons attending such gatherings. There are no penal regulations in respect of social distancing, wearing of masks in [a] public area.

‘An Garda Siochana has no statutory powers under “COVID Regulations” to prevent these gatherings taking place.’

Watch: Fury in Galway as large crowds of students congregate around the city (Extra.ie)

Pics via Twitter

From today.

It will be a punishable offence in the United Kingdom not to comply with an official instruction to self-isolate, with fines starting at £1,000 and rising to £10,000 for ‘repeat offenders or serious breaches’.

Via BBC:

Police officers can check that people are complying with the rules in virus hotspots and among high-risk groups based on “local intelligence“, the government said.

The law applies to people who have tested positive for coronavirus, or who have been told by NHS Test and Trace to self-isolate because they have been in close contact with someone with the virus.

And if someone tests positive, it is illegal to knowingly give false information about their close contacts to NHS Test and Trace….

Good times.

Covid-19: Up to £10,000 fine for failure to self-isolate in England (BBC)

Getty

This afternoon.

GPO, O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin with An Post employees Laura Fitzsimons (left) and Keith Lally launches the National Framework for Living with Covid-19 Information Leaflet, which is being sent out to households this week.

Where are your masks?

Julien Behal Photography/RollingNews

Dr Marcus de Brun urges people of all politics to join next Saturday’s rally against rona restrictions organised by Yellow Vest Ireland and Health Freedom Ireland at Custom House Quay, Dublin 1 at 2pm.

Previously: Normal People

Doctor In The House

Grafton Street, Dublin 2 this morning

This morning/afternoon.

According to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre a quarter of all new cases of Covid-19 in the last two weeks have been among younger people aged between 15 and 24

Via RTÉ:

A closer look at the breakdown of ages though, shows there were reportedly 114 cases in young children aged between 0 and 4, while a further 325 cases occurred in children between 5 and 14.

The highest number of cases reported in this two-week period is among 15 to 24-year-olds with 984 cases among that age group.

There were also 708 cases among the 25 to 34-year-olds, 576 cases in the 35 to 44 age bracket, 552 among the 45 to 54-year-olds, 375 in the 55 to 64 age group, 236 cases among 65 to 74-year-olds and 106 cases in the 75 to 84 group.

There were just 44 cases recorded among people aged over 85.

Anyone?

No room for complacency over Covid-19, warns Glynn (RTÉ)

Rollingnews