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NURSES AT MIDLAND Regional Hospital Portlaoise (MRHP) have raised concerns about staff shortages amid a Covid-19 outbreak at the hospital.
The medical ward at the hospital is no longer taking new patients after a number of patients and staff tested positive for the virus.
Fourteen patients are currently being treated on the ward and six beds are vacant.
As of 8pm yesterday, four patients in the hospital were confirmed to have Covid-19, including one in critical care. Two further patients are suspected to have the virus.
Nursing staff have expressed concern at the fact a number of colleagues are off work, either because they have Covid-19, were a close contact of a confirmed case, or are waiting for test results.
Two patients with Covid-19, both of whom were residents in the nearby Kilminchy Lodge Nursing Home, died in the hospital recently.
A spokesperson for the hospital said “testing and tracing is ongoing” so they are not in a position to comment on how many employees are off work due to the outbreak.
A person familiar with the situation said nurses at the hospital are “frightened” and “really anxious” about the outbreak and its impact on staff numbers.
The spokesperson for MRHP confirmed that the medical ward is now closed to new admissions because of Covid-19 cases among “a number of patients and staff members”.
According to data in the Covid-19 Hub, in the last 24 hours there have been 26 hospital admissions in Ireland, 238 hospital confirmed cases, and 29 people in Intensive Care Units.
The number of hospitalised cases dropped from 240 on Monday to 214 last night but rose again today to 238.
Outbreak team
After the Covid-19 cases were identified at MRHP, the hospital’s outbreak control team was convened, in accordance with Health Protection Surveillance Centre guidelines.
“Covid-19 testing and contact tracing of both staff and patients is actively ongoing to ensure the protection of public health. Any staff identified as close contacts of Covid-19 cases are now self-isolating,” the spokesperson said.
They noted that all other services at the hospital continue to operate as normal, and patients who have appointments to should attend unless contacted by the hospital directly.
“The hospital would like to reassure patients, staff and the public that all appropriate steps have been taken in accordance with national guidelines. Staff and patients have been provided with key hospital contacts if any concerns need to be addressed.
“The protection of public health is of the utmost importance to the hospital and every effort is being taken to reduce the risk of spread of Covid-19 at this time,” the spokesperson said.
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Great idea from an Post.
I was in SuperValu shopping this week. I saw a lot of people who were definitely over 70.
Some seem to have no choice but to go out, collect pensions, go shopping for food, fuel etc.
It’s next to impossible to get an online delivery slot for shopping to be delivered.
You can’t ask people to stay in and offer minimal support, the Guards are helping some people, and this is a good initiative. But more needs to be done if the elderly are to be housebound.
@Mark Walsh: what p#sses me off is a neighbour of mine in good health and in her mid 30′s is still getting Tesco delivered when she is probably taking a slot from somebody that really needs it, I’m sure she is one of many around the country.
@Sharp Elsi Mate: how do you know your neighbour isn’t in an at risk group? It’s not just the elderly. Neighbour may have medical condition you don’t know about
@karen: she has been doing it for the last 2 years at least so unless her and her husband could see this coming or are that unfortunate I’d be very surprised. Not to mind the tesco is over 20 miles away and there is a fine big Supervalu on their doorstep. All i am saying is people need to be a bit more sensible.
Brillaint idea, as a concconer I hope these ideas are used after the emerengcy. Let’s build a better society where we all are involved in everybody’s care…
@David Dineen: absolutely. Cocooning too.
@David Dineen: that’d be lovely David, but Cant see it happening.
People are selfish, as long as it doesn’t effect them, they don’t really care.
Apart from the odd nice person
And living in a flat most of us don’t even know each other
Which makes me sad ,
we just hardly ever see each other
What about the post persons families?the more interaction they have the more likely it is they will get c19.they do have homes to go to as well.
@Stan Kowalskis: read the last line of the article. In practice they knock on the door and stand back a few metres until the person answers. If they don’t answer then they alert authorities
newspapers are yesterday’s news full of bacteria and virus they should be left on the shelf.
@Richard Russell: True Also all the food delivered could have germs.
Everything could. Even if the items are picked off shelves by a person using gloves, that means nothing, gloves still pass the virus from item to item!
But what else Can We do. There aren’t many solutions
It seems everything has a risk
News papers only available in cities and counties just outside Dublin. For those living in the countryside and rural areas, as per usual no service available.
I just wanted to put it out there
my partner is my carer, he had to wait in a Que over 2 and half hours outside Tesco
He was in Bits by time he got back.
Then all I wanted to do was wipe everything with anti bacterial wipes.
Its a very frightening time especially for the more vulnerable amongst us
I really Feel for them.
If I didn’t have him, even without him being my carer, I couldn’t Que that long, I have terribly painful bad back and over active bladder!
have your say