⚠️ Philip Nolan projects possibility of 1500-2000 people in hospital by mid-January - with 200 to 400 people in ICU.
Nolan: Very significant deterioration since last briefing (that’s New Years Eve)
3,655 new cases in Dublin.
🚨Nolan says he’s now reporting and projecting figures he never thought he’d have to say in a briefing.
County by county breakdown. 
“Demand for testing has increased enormously... 22,000 tests per day done... positivity in the past seven days is 19.7%.”
Positivity in community labs is 24%.
⚠️⚠️ “True” estimated 14 day incidence is 700-800.
“Right now the underlying level of disease is higher than the first wave.”
“Right now the underlying level of disease is higher than the first wave.”
The number of positive tests dropped for the Christmas period - followed by a surge.
People delayed getting tested over Christmas.
People delayed getting tested over Christmas.
The disease is growing at 10-13% per day.
Nolan says it’s closer to the higher end of that.
“We have a very clear understanding of what’s going on in the population.”
Nolan says it’s closer to the higher end of that.
“We have a very clear understanding of what’s going on in the population.”
🚨 Incidence high across all age groups.
19-24 year olds the highest in the country.
19-24 year olds the highest in the country.
“The numbers of people in ICU is rising very sharply indeed.”
Delay between cases and hospitalisation is “very much shorter” than previously.
Delay between cases and hospitalisation is “very much shorter” than previously.
🚨 “we haven’t been as concerned at any point in the pandemic as we are right now” - Tony Holohan.
“The numbers are unsustainable - and ultimately will lead to a very significant level of mortality.”
#LATEST
A bleak assessment from Dr Tony Holohan.
“This level of injection puts too many people in hospital... it puts too many people in funeral homes. We can not deal with this level of infection.”
A bleak assessment from Dr Tony Holohan.
“This level of injection puts too many people in hospital... it puts too many people in funeral homes. We can not deal with this level of infection.”
Holohan appeals to employers to help people to work at home.
Holohan says it’s time to “put our differences aside”... he says the time for debating measures and “why we are where we are” is over and now it’s time for a national effort to turn this around and save lives.
Liam Woods of the HSE says we have 287 ICU beds - the target by the end of the year is 321.
That would be smack bang in the middle of projected ICU figures in the worst case scenario.
That would be smack bang in the middle of projected ICU figures in the worst case scenario.
Holohan: “the situation we find ourselves in is the transmission rate is very high... we remain concerned about our ability to continue core public services including education.”
Holohan says they’re more concerned now than when they said schools should reopen.
He says it’s not a shift in position to be concerned about providing education - but transmission rates have changed entirely.
He says it’s not a shift in position to be concerned about providing education - but transmission rates have changed entirely.
“Who’s in charge of the vaccination programme?”
Holohan: “in relation to who’s ultimately in charge... the Minister for Health.”
He pays tribute to the taskforce for their work on putting together rollout.
Holohan: “in relation to who’s ultimately in charge... the Minister for Health.”
He pays tribute to the taskforce for their work on putting together rollout.
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