A further 227 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and five new deaths have been announced by the health authorities this evening.
There were three new cases announced in Laois meaning the 14-day incidence rate in the county is now 54.3 – down from 56.7 yesterday.
The current national average is 79.5, down from 80.2 yesterday.
There are now 46 active cases in Laois, down from 48 yesterday.
Of the cases notified today;
- 98 are men / 129 are women
- 64% are under 45 years of age
- The median age is 37 years old
- 70 in Dublin, 26 in Donegal, 19 in Limerick,14 in Louth, 14 in Kilkenny and the remaining 84 cases are spread across 17 other counties.
As of 2pm today 224 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 38 are in ICU. 14 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: “Today we have seen 8 new admissions to ICU, the most in a 24 hour period since the spring time.”
“COVID-19 is still an extremely infectious disease which has the potential to lead to hospitalisation and even ICU admissions.
“Ireland has managed to suppress COVID-19 to the lowest incidence levels in the EU in recent weeks. We have managed to keep up our safe behaviours and worked to protect each other throughout the pandemic.
“If we do not continue to suppress the disease through the actions we have learned over recent months, we will very quickly see a surge in infections leading to an increase in hospitalisations, ICU admissions and, tragically, deaths.
“We are actively planning to begin vaccinating people in early 2021. We cannot afford to drop our guard now.”
New Cases in Laois
- December 8 – 3
- December 7 – 2
- December 6 – 2
- December 5 – 0
- December 4 – 9
- December 3 – 2
- December 2 – 0
- December 1 – 1
- November 30 – 5
- November 29 – 2
- November 28 – 2
- November 27 – 4
- November 26 – 4
- November 25 – 6
14-day case rate in Laois per 100,000 population
- December 8 – 54.3
- December 7 – 56.7
- December 6 – 55.7
- December 5 – 55.5
- December 4 – 56.7
- December 3 – 49.6
- December 2 – 50.8
- December 1 – 55.5
- November 30 – 55.5
- November 29 – 51.9
- November 28 – 50.8
- November 27 – 55.5
- November 26 – 57.9
- November 25 – 54.3
New cases in Laois during past 14 days
- December 8 – 46
- December 7 – 48
- December 6 – 47
- December 5 – 47
- December 4 – 47
- December 3 – 42
- December 2 – 43
- December 1 – 47
- November 30 – 47
- November 29 – 44
- November 28 – 43
- November 27 – 47
- November 26 – 49
- November 25 – 46
Warning issued over allergic reaction to vaccine
UK regulators have issued a warning that people who have a history of ‘significant’ allergic reactions should not currently receive the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
This comes after two people who had the jab yesterday had allergic reactions.
Two NHS staff members who received the vaccine on the first day of the mass vaccination programme suffered an allergic reaction, the NHS in England has confirmed.
Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director for the NHS in England, said: “As is common with new vaccines, the MHRA have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday.
“Both are recovering well.”
The MHRA advice states: “Any person with a history of a significant allergic reaction to a vaccine, medicine or food (such as previous history of anaphylactoid reaction or those who have been advised to carry an adrenaline autoinjector) should not receive the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine.
“Resuscitation facilities should be available at all times for all vaccinations. Vaccination should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available.”
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