A third of new Covid cases in Cavan in 15-24 age group

People are being urged to avoid indoor and outdoor social gatherings, including family celebrations and house parties, following a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in Cavan and Monaghan in recent weeks, particularly among the unvaccinated 15-24 age cohort, which accounts for almost one in three of all new Covid cases confirmed.

The Department of Public Health North East, Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council issued a joint statement on Monday of this week, highlighting that there has been a doubling of the number of cases in Monaghan in particular.

The appeal comes as public health officials engage in a race of vaccine against variant.

To date, in Cavan, over 34,000 vaccinations have been administered at the Cavan Vaccination Centre; while over 31,500 vaccines have been given in Monaghan.

The Department of Ireland also confirmed on Monday was that Ireland is currently experiencing high incidence of COVID-19 across many counties, with 87% of cases appearing among persons aged 45 years and under.

As of Sunday, July 25, Cavan General Hospital was dealing with four confirmed cases on site, two of which had been admitted in the previous 24 hours. One of the four cases at the hospital was being treated in ICU.

Director of Public Health North East, Dr Augustine Pereira, said the majority of new cases in recent weeks have been in the unvaccinated age group. “We ask, if you are not yet vaccinated, to please continue to manage your contacts, meet outdoors, avoid crowded settings and not to socialise indoors as you await your vaccine. The 15-24 year age group accounted for over 30% of COVID-19 cases in Cavan and Monaghan last week. This is why we are urging everyone to be extra vigilant, act responsibly, and adhere to public health guidelines.”

The high incidence rates witnessed in the North East, Dr Pereira added, reflect “how serious the situation can become” in only a matter of days and weeks. “We have not seen this level of infection since early February, which is a worrying trend and shows that this virus is prevalent in our communities.

“All of our collective hard work has contributed to the success of our vaccination programme and the progress we have made so far with reopening our economy and society.”

The Public Health Department North East new Covid-19 cases update in Cavan and Monaghan:

People experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 continue to be asked to isolate and seek a free PCR test as soon as possible. Common COVID-19 symptoms of the Delta variant strain include a sore throat, runny nose or headaches.

Cavan County Council Chief Executive, Tommy Ryan, said: “The people of Cavan have done tremendous work in keeping case numbers low in the county in recent months, but the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant means we cannot afford to be complacent. I would ask everyone in the county to continue to practice social distancing and take all precautions to slow the spread of this disease while the vaccination programme continues.”

He said: “By working together, we can once again bring our case numbers down and prevent a further spike in infections. As recent statistics have shown that most new cases are among those who are unvaccinated, I would appeal to our young people to take particular care to avoid large crowds and to limit their contacts. I would also encourage anyone who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine but has not yet registered for vaccination to do so as soon as possible. Adherence to public health advice, in tandem with the vaccination programme, will help us through this pandemic and lead us to brighter days ahead.”

Cootehill hub to be returned

Meanwhile, the Community Assessment Hub situated in the Community Services Building, Cootehill, is to be used once again to facilitate a day care service for older persons.

The HSE already provides an Audiology Service from the site, which continued to be operational while the Community Assessment Hub was in situ.

However, the day care service for older persons was suspended in March 2020 following the outbreak of Covid in Ireland and advice from NEPHT.

A spokesperson for the HSE informed The Anglo-Celt that under the guidance of the HSE’s Infection Prevention and Control colleagues, plans are now “at an advanced stage” for the resumption of services at the site for the older people in the catchment area.

“Services for Older Persons is working closely with the agency who provide the day care service for older persons in the building, and it is anticipated that this service will resume in the coming weeks.”