A further 1,496 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the Republic on Tuesday, as public health officials warned of a potential surge linked to the All-Ireland senior hurling final this Sunday.
As a high rate of Covid-19 continues to circulate in the community, the Department of Public Health Mid-West, Limerick City and County Council, Limerick GAA, and An Garda Siochána released a joint statement appealing to members of the public and businesses to support the hurlers safely.
Officials said that a surge in cases, particularly in Limerick, was a “cause for concern” and warned of the “risk of infection for people who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated if they engage in social activity that is outside public health guidelines”.
Separately Dr Tony Holohan, the country’s chief medical officer, said making the decision not to attend work or socialise if displaying symptoms, or to leave a family gathering or social event because it does not feel safe, can be difficult.
"Unfortunately, the fact remains that incidence of Covid-19 in Ireland is continuing to increase," he said.
"Our current 14-day incidence is 493 per 100,000, the highest it’s been since January 31st, and incidence of disease is continuing to rise steadily in nearly all age groups and in 21 out of 26 counties."
Dr Holohan said an average of three people with Covid-19 admitted to ICU per day last week had doubled this week to six. As of this morning, there were 248 Covid-19 patients in hospital, with 54 in ICU.
'Not controlled'
Public Health Mid-West advised Limerick people not travelling to the match at Croke Park to avoid unnecessary social gatherings due to the threat posed by the “highly-transmissible Delta variant”.
Dr Marie Casey, a local specialist in public health medicine, warned that if social gatherings around the match are “not controlled this can turn into events which rapidly increase the number of cases in the community, as we had experienced last year”.
“The community in Limerick worked very hard to reduce the rates from the community outbreak in June and we would like to maintain this improvement. We are best protected when we are fully vaccinated and adhering to guidelines, so if you are socialising with friends and family this weekend, do so safely to limit the spread of Covid-19 in your community,” Dr Casey added.
There were 667 Covid-19 cases recorded in Limerick over the past 14 days, including 66 cases on August 16th. An additional 40 confirmed cases were identified Monday along the border with Clare and North Tipperary.
Post-match social activity
“We are urging everyone attending household events, hospitality settings, and any indoor gathering to maintain social distancing, wear a face mask, and limit social contact in well-ventilated spaces,” said a spokesman for Public Health Mid-West.
“We are also urging the hospitality sector to protect their staff and customers by confirming valid certificates of their patrons, and to avoid crowding both indoors and outdoors. Social settings and close contact within those facilitate infection, and continues to be a factor in community outbreaks in Limerick.”
The public health warning specifically includes a warning for people to “limit their post-match social activity Sunday evening” following the hurling final, which has a 3.30pm throw-in.
As the match involves fierce Munster rivals Limerick and Cork, an extra jab of excitement has been injected into the build-up.
The best way of supporting your county on the day, is by continuing to support public health guidelines
However, Limerick GAA chairperson John Cregan warned “when emotions run high we sometimes tend to drop our guard”.
“We must remember our obligation to protect ourselves and those around us from serious illness, and to that end can I appeal to all of our supporters to behave in a responsible manner... together we can ensure that this historic occasion will be both a safe and enjoyable experience for all involved,” he said.
Limerick’s mayor, Cllr Daniel Butler, said: “Limerick GAA supporters are some of the best and most passionate in the country, but we must remember that we are still living with Covid-19 and I’m appealing to everyone to enjoy the match and celebrate the Limerick hurlers in a safe and responsible manner”.
Limerick chief superintendent, Gerry Roche, reiterated that “Covid-19 is still present within our communities and so we all must continue to be careful, the best way of supporting your county on the day, is by continuing to support public health guidelines”.
