IRELAND HAS recorded more cases and deaths linked to Covid-19 this January than it did over the course of 2020.
More than 1,000 deaths linked to the coronavirus were reported over the course of January 2021 as part of more than 100,000 cases of the deadly virus.
The figures came as part of a stark warning from Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan regarding the high level of infection still present in large parts of the country.
Though case numbers have decreased recently, Dr Holohan believes it is essential that the public remain on their guard.
“We have experienced over 1,000 deaths and more than 100,000 cases in January 2021,” he said.
“We have reported more cases in one month than we experienced throughout 2020.
“This shows just how quickly this disease can spread and how much it can impact public health.”
Dr Holohan noted that Ireland has fared better than most countries across Europe when it came to reducing incidence of the disease.
However, he believes more work is needed before any kind of relaxation of the rules can take place.
“The efforts by all of the population in following the basic public health advice has seen us reduce the incidence of the disease very rapidly compared to most countries in Europe,” he said.
“Despite the recent, significant decrease in cases, there remains a level of infection in the population which is double that seen at the peak of incidence last October.
“The next few weeks need to see us maintain compliance with all of the measures that are in place so that we can get to levels of the disease that are as low as possible.”
His warning comes with hospitals across Ireland under intense pressure.
There are currently 1,494 Covid-positive inpatients being treated in hospital, with 213 in intensive care units (ICU).
Over the past 24 hours there have been 79 deaths and 1,414 confirmed cases of the virus across the Republic.
