THE Covid-19 situation in Ireland is improving in spite of high daily infection numbers, according to Dr Tony Holohan.
A further 1,545 cases of the virus were identified by the Department of Health on Wednesday, while 43 deaths were reported over the past week.
But Chief Medical Officer Dr Holohan stressed that Ireland's incidence rate was in decline, insisting that there is reason for optimism as both death rates and hospital admissions are stabilising, despite high infection rates.
"Overall the incidence Covid-19 infection is declining across the country, the five-day moving average is 1,407 and we see stabilisation of ICU and hospital admissions," Holohan said.
"Incidence of Covid-19 in adolescents and young adults is falling significantly and we are seeing early encouraging signs that the rate of infection is plateauing in children of school-going age."
It follows news that over 12,000 pupils from more than 1,300 schools across Ireland have been forced to stay home from school and isolate after being deemed close contacts of a Covid-19 case.
Schools across the country opened for the academic year last week but classes have been severely disrupted by the close contact chaos, and changes to the mandatory 10-day isolation rule are being considered by health officials.
Despite this, a principal's leader said yesterday that allowing unvaccinated, asymptomatic close contacts of positive cases back into classrooms would be a serious "cause for concern", and insists that students should isolate for 10 days as instructed.
"I think it will be a cause for concern in the context of the increasing numbers that are presenting in schools and the challenges that are being presented for school leaders in terms of managing that when cases are noticed to the school," said president of the Irish Primary Principals Network Brian O'Doherty.
