Health officials are warning of an increase in the number of people presenting to local hospitals, at a time when they are still coping with COVID-19.
The latest HSE figures show that as of yesterday, all of the general bed stock at University Hospital Limerick was occupied, although there were seven vacant critical care beds in Dooradoyle.
A new 68-bed field hospital is being opened at UL this week.
Throughout the pandemic, hospitals across the country saw a decrease in the number of patients presenting with non-COVID related issues.
But now there’s evidence of an increase in activity, with officials in the UL Hospitals Group reporting an uptick over the past ten days.
HSE figures show they had no vacant beds yesterday, and today the INMO says there are 22 patients on trolleys, five of them in overflow areas of its wards.
This increase in patients comes as 68 new beds are to come on stream at a field hospital in UL.
The first patients will be admitted to the Intermediate Care Facility in the University’s sports arena in the coming days.
Clinical Director of Medicine at UL Hospitals Group Dr Catherine Peters says it’s still important that patients follow health advice, and to save the Emergency Department for genuine emergencies.
Meanwhile, the head of the UL Hospitals Group is targeting an increase in activity at Ennis General, especially in terms of more surgeries.
Investments are already being made in the county hospital, which Colette Cowan says is being used to capacity at this time.
However, she has revealed that funding is being sought for an upgrade of surgical theatres.
Brian McLoughlin, Clare FM, first for local news.
