Local hospitals are continuing to come under increasing pressure as cases of covid-19 remain high in the region.
There are now more than 160 people being treated for the virus at University Hospital Limerick, and there’s only one bed remaining in the Intensive Care Unit.
Across the country, 13 hospitals have no ICU capacity left.
The UL Hospitals Group is moving into the second phase of it’s surge plan today.
There is now only one empty bed in the ICU at University Hospital Limerick, while the high dependency unit is full.
It comes as 162 patients are being treated for the virus at the Dooradoyle facility, a rise of 10 on yesterday’s figures.
According to HSE figures, thirteen hospitals across the country have no ICU capacity left, including hospitals in Galway, Letterkenny, Portlaoise, Navan and Naas, according to statistics from the HSE.
Meanwhile, 579 staff remain on leave at University Hospital Limerick this week, on account contracting Covid-19 or due to being close contacts of positive cases and are staying off work in line with the public health guidelines.
208 people with Covid have lost their lives across the country so far this month, and some of those have been as young as 25.
CEO of the HSE Paul Reid says it isn’t just older people who are being affected
Across Ireland, 1,846 people with Covid-19 are being treated in Irish hospitals this morning – including 171 in intensive care.
More than 100 people with the disease are also on ventilators.
It comes as seperate figures show the extent of the spread of COVID-19 in Clare over recent weeks.
Over 2% of people living in the Ennis area contracted the virus in the two weeks to Monday, while all five electoral areas of Clare have seen over 200 cases each confirmed there over the Christmas and New Year period.
