Health services in Donegal are urging people to have greater vigilance for Covid-19 symptoms as cases grow and hospitals record high attendance levels.
1,299 cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed in Donegal in the past fortnight.
Letterkenny University Hospital had 22 patients on trolleys in the emergency department this morning, according to the INMO. The hospital is treating nine patients with Covid-19, with four new admissions in the past 24 hours. Two patients with the virus are in ICU in Letterkenny, as of 8pm Monday.
“Our hospitals are continuing to deal with record numbers of attendances at Emergency Departments. All the while, the number of COVID-19 infections in our communities is growing and resulting in greater numbers of hospitalisations,” says Tony Canavan, CEO of the Saolta Hospital Group.
“We must stay vigilant and keep up our guard against COVID-19 if we are to protect the most vulnerable. While our vaccination programme has been a huge success, we must not forget the day to day practices that are continuing to keep us all safe,” Mr Canavan said.
Mr Canavan urged people to be particularly vigilant if attending Letterkenny University Hospital for appointments or as a visitor.
People are asked to be mindful of others when attending LUH and to follow all guidelines.
– Do not attend if you are experiencing any symptoms.
– Do not visit patients if you are a close contact of a COVID-19 case.
– If attending follow all the public health guidance; wash your hands, wear a mask and socially distance.
“We all have a role to play and small actions can have a major impact. When visiting hospitals washing hands, keeping social distance and wearing a mask make a difference. If you have symptoms stay at home. This will not only keep our hospital safe but will benefit the wider community.
“I would also urge anyone aged 16 and over who hasn’t yet registered to get a free COVID-19 vaccine to do so by going to hse.ie. The vaccine is the most effective way to prevent serious disease and will help protect you and those close to you.”
Dr. Aidan Ryan, HSE Specialist in Public Health Medicine said: “Covid-19 is circulating in our Communities. It is important to continue to follow public health advice. Increased community testing will help identify people who may be infected and are infectious. These people may be unaware that they might be spreading the virus.”
John Hayes, Chief Officer, Healthcare Organisation Area 1 added: “Covid-19 is a serious infection. We don’t want people getting sick and people ending up in hospital. I encourage anyone who is showing symptoms, no matter how mild to receive a Covid-19 test, especially those who have not yet had their vaccination to avail of this service.”
The online booking system for Covid-19 tests continues to operate at https://covid19test.healthservice.ie/hse-self-referral/.
You can get a PCR test if you have not had a positive COVID-19 PCR test in the last 9 months. Only get another test if you are showing symptoms of Covid-19. Click here for a list of symptoms: https://www2.hse.ie/
To find the most recent opening times for a centre near you by clicking on the following link: https://www2.hse.ie/