The number of people with COVID-19 who are in intensive care at University Hospital Galway has doubled to four, according to the latest HSE data.
It represents a 100% increase in the number of patients with COVID in critical care at the hospital in just one day.
The number of available ICU beds at the hospital has fallen from five on Sunday to just one yesterday evening.
In total, there were 47 confirmed cases at UHG yesterday evening, an increase of four on the day before when there were 43 cases, two of which were in ICU.
There are five COVID patients at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe today, and one suspected case.
Across the state, there are 73 people in ICU and a total of 817 people with the disease in hospital.
Dr Breda Smyth, Director of Public Health in the West has urged people to stay home unless absolutely necessary and double down in their efforts to follow the HSE’s public health advice.
“Over the last number of weeks we are seeing a rapid increase of cases of confirmed COVID-19 across Galway, Mayo and Roscommon as we have across the country,” said Dr Breda Smith.
“This rapid rise in infections is having a very serious impact on the number of people hospitalised and the number of patients requiring critical care in our ICUs. We must do all we can to protect our hospital services so they are available to provide critical and emergency care to our communities when they need it.
“We have seen a doubling of the number of patients in hospital since last week and this is extremely concerning for us.”
She added that community transmission is extremely high and said we must act as if every person we meet is an infection risk.
“Everything we touch outside our home is an infection risk. We must stay home as much as possible,” added Dr Smyth.
“We all need to think about the impact that being diagnosed with COVID-19 would have on those close to us.
“We have started the vaccination roll-out in the hospital system this week and the roll-out in our long-stay facilities will begin over this week and the next. It is critical that we continue to do all we can to protect our loved ones while the vaccine is rolled out.”
