158 people are battling coronavirus in ICU this morning.

With 46 additional deaths from Covid-19 reported in the past 24 hours and 3,086 new cases, the CEO of the Health Service Executive has admitted the level of infection in Ireland is ‘beyond comprehension’.

Tweeting this morning, Paul Reid said “Our hospitals are treating 1,750 people with #COVID19 and 158 critically ill in ICU. This is a level beyond comprehension. But to assure everyone, our healthcare teams are taking emergency actions to sustain this within a level of control. We appreciate your support.”

Of the latest infections, 604 cases are in Galway, with 574 in Dublin, 466 in Mayo, 187 in Cork, 138 in Limerick and the remaining 1,117 cases spread across all other counties.

Our hospitals are treating 1,750 people with #COVID19 & 158 critically ill in ICU. This is a level beyond comprehension. But to assue everyone, our healthcare teams are taking emergency actions to sustain this within a level of control. We appreciate your support. @HSELive

— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) January 13, 2021

‘Hold firm and stay home’

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said we are now seeing the effect of the recent surge of infections reflected in the increased mortality reported.

“Unfortunately, due to the unsustainably high level of COVID-19 infection we have experienced as a country over the past few weeks, sadly these figures are likely to continue for the next period of time. What we can do today, out of respect of those who have lost their lives and those currently in hospital or ICU – and those caring for them – is to hold firm and stay home,” he said.

Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group added: “The alarming level of disease is unprecedented in terms of our experience of the levels of COVID-19 in the community.

“We are seeing numbers of cases per day, and numbers in hospital, that we just could not have comprehended prior to Christmas. The tools to address this accelerated growth rate are in our hands and we know from experience how we can significantly suppress transmission of the virus.”

With more than 7,000 healthcare workers currently out of work due to coronavirus, hospitals are struggling to provide critical care beds. Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland this morning, HSE operations officer Anne O’Connor asked the public to support frontline workers in areas such as childcare and help them get back to work.