Over 40 COVID-19 cases in acute hospitals in region

There were 44 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in acute hospitals in the Midlands region last night.

Official figures show that at 8pm, there were 23 patients confirmed with COVID-19 in care in Tullamore, 15 in Mullingar, five in Portlaoise and one in Portiuncala.

Another 13 suspected cases were hospitalised, awaiting swab results. Five were in Mullingar, four in Portlaoise, three in Tullamore and one in Portiuncula.

Eight of the COVID-19 positive patients were in critical care units; five in Tullamore, two in Portlaoise and one in Mullingar. And another four of the suspected COVID-19 patients were also in critical care units, one each from the four hospitals.

The impact of the pandemic on the critical care units was illustrated in the figures. At 8pm last night, there were only four vacant critical care beds in the region, two in Mullingar and two in Portiuncula.

However, in contrast, the falling level of acute hospital activity outside COVID-19 is reflected in the level of vacant general beds in the system.

At 8am yesterday, there were 111 vacant beds in Tullamore hospital, 27 in each of Mullingar and Portlaoise and eight in Portiuncula.