IRELAND’S HEALTH system is under severe pressure after more than 45,000 new cases of coronavirus over the last week.
The steep increase in case numbers has seen Ireland emerge as the country with the worst coronavirus infection rate in Europe.
According to figures published by John Hopkins University and the Oxford University scientific publication Our World Data and first reported by Breaking News, the virus is spreading at a faster rate in Ireland than in any other European nation.
More alarmingly still, the disease is spreading at a faster rate in Ireland than in the US.
The data was compiled based on the rate of infection per million people in order to provide a clearer idea of how quickly the virus is spreading.
Based on the rolling average of new cases reported, Ireland is recording 1,267 cases per million. This stands in stark contrast to the figures recorded in Ireland when Ireland boasted one of the lowest coronavirus rates in Europe with 50 cases per million.
The Czech Republic has the second highest seven-day rolling average with 1,164 cases per million while the United Kingdom, which had been hit by a more contagious strain of the virus, has a rate of 881.3.
The US, meanwhile, reported 734.9 cases per million over the past week.
The situation in Ireland is dire. Infection rate is skyrocketing. Hospitals WILL be overrun.
What this also shows: hard #Shutdowns work. And they must be maintained.
I hope Swiss Government is paying close attention. No relaxing of measures before Q3 pic.twitter.com/I2YgKHT2zP— Chris Tanner (@ChristianTanner) January 9, 2021
Ireland’s health system is already under severe pressure and could yet face increased caseloads, with any potential fallout from the influx of people travelling back to Ireland for Christmas likely to be felt in the coming days and weeks.
Over 54,000 people flew into Ireland over Christmas, despite government warnings urging people to refrain from returning home unless entirely necessary.
Ireland’s Health Service Executive has now moved to access the surge capacity made available as part of an agreement with private hospitals.
These hospitals are now being used to provide non-Covid urgent care.
Over the past 24 hours 6,888 new cases of Covid were recorded in Ireland along with eight further deaths.
See More: Coronavirus, Covid-19, Infection Rate, Ireland
