Tiny nation experiences largest Covid surge in the world
Ireland has fast become the world’s worst coronavirus hotspot as cases surge exponentially in the nation of almost five million people.
With the US and the UK under the spotlight for their increasing number of infections, cases have quietly been skyrocketing in the European country.
With experts blaming gatherings over Christmas and a lack of social distancing, Ireland is now reporting 132 cases per 100,000 people, compared to the 75 cases per 100,000 being reported in the United States.
The Washington Post reports ahead of Christmas, Ireland was recording only 10 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 each day.
“I think we’ve run out of adjectives to describe how serious this is,” Irish health chief Paul Reid told Newstalk Breakfast.
Covid surge in Ireland not due to new strain
Emergencies Chief at the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Mike Ryan, told reporters in Ireland he had spoken to chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan about how Ireland had become the worst pandemic hotspot in the world.
“My own country in Ireland ... has suffered one of the most acute increases in disease incidence of any country in the world,” he told reporters.
“And not due to the variant let me add, but due to increased social mixing and reduction of physical distancing,” he said.
“New variant strains ... have not been the driver of new transmission.”
Chart shows Ireland’s Covid surge
An alarming chart of coronavirus data highlights how Ireland’s growth in cases is surpassing that of the UK and the US.
The chart from Our World in Data shows on January 10 Ireland reported 12,451 biweekly cases per million people, while the UK had 11,580 and the US reported 9,697.
Ireland’s number had risen from 926 biweekly cases per million people recorded on October 1.
WHO infectious disease epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove told the Irish Times the nation had seen “near vertical” growth.
“Transmission was down to single digits in most countries in Europe over the summer. And we lost the battle because [we] changed our mixing patterns over the summer, into the fall, and especially Christmas and New Year holidays,” she said.
“The number of contacts that individuals had and their families had increased significantly.”
Ireland hospitals ‘beyond strain’
The head of Ireland’s health service operator, Paul Reid, said on Monday the number of patients in hospitals with Covid-19 rose by 10 per cent from Sunday to 1582, almost twice the peak set during the first wave of infections.
Critical care admissions grew at a faster rate to reach 146, as hospital beds out of intensive care units were turned into makeshift ICUs.
"I've always tried to balance COVID-19 messages. I know everyone is finding it all very tough. But the situation in our hospitals is now beyond strain. To avoid getting sick, protect your family and healthcare workers please, please stay at home," Mr Reid said on Twitter.
Ireland under-reported coronavirus cases
Ireland said at the start of the year it had under-reported coronavirus cases by thousands more than previously known, suggesting the EU's fastest growing outbreak is worsening even more rapidly than figures showed.
More than 9,000 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 needed to add to the official tally of confirmed cases on January 1, the National Public Health Emergency Team said. A day earlier it had estimated the number of positive tests still pending registration at just 4,000.
Ireland has gone from having the lowest infection rate in the European Union just last month to having the fastest rate of deterioration, after shops and large parts of the hospitality sector were allowed to reopen for most of December.
with Reuters
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