HSE Chief Paul Reid addresses Covid-19 spike with ‘1,269 cases in two weeks’
More than 750,000 Covid-19 tests have been administered so far.
That’s according to HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid, who is appearing before a Special Oireachtas Committee on the response to coronavirus in Ireland this morning.
Ireland has recorded 1,269 cases of Covid-19 in the past two weeks, a significant spike on the last two weeks in July when 264 cases were reported.
Speaking to the Committee, which is meeting in the Seanad chamber, Mr Reid said that last week saw the HSE administer 55,000 Covid-19 tests, the highest number of weekly tests since April.
Mr Paul Reid, CEO, @HSELive is appearing in front of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response on the Impact of Covid-19 on an examination of the State’s response to the recent spike in Coronavirus cases #seeforyourselfhttps://t.co/lEqB3DaKmx https://t.co/eJtmKYjKsc
— Houses of the Oireachtas (@OireachtasNews) August 26, 2020
Mr Reid said that although the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland is rising, the increase has not yet caused a surge in hospital and ICU admissions. He also confirmed that the HSE has been planning ahead to handle a surge should one arise.
In the meantime, the HSE is almost ready to launch a new testing and tracing model.
The Committee will sit for three sessions today, also hearing from Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn.
