University Hospital Waterford is using its temporary refrigeration capacity at the mortuary for the first time in the Covid-19 pandemic.
The impact of the Republic’s third wave of Covid-19 has been seen in recent weeks, as the daily death toll has exceeded that seen at any point in the previous year of 2020.
The Waterford hospital has over 100 patients being treated with Covid-19, 60 of whom are on some form of intense oxygen support.
Consultant pathologist Rob Landers told the WLR FM radio station that the facility is under severe pressure and the recent high number of deaths has been traumatic.
“In March of last year we erected a temporary refrigeration capacity outside the main building in the mortuary — we didn’t have to use that until this month,” he said.
“That gives you an indication of the scale of the deaths that are happening.
“I don’t want to be sensationalist — every hospital in the country is experiencing a death rate, I think higher than normal, this time of year — Waterford is no worse than anywhere else.”
It comes as there are currently 1,308 people with Covid-19 in Irish hospitals. The number represents a four per cent fall on yesterday, and a 19 per cent decrease on last Thursday's total.
In the past 24 hours, there were 92 admissions and 82 discharges from hospitals.
As of 11am this morning, 188 people were being treated in intensive care units (ICU).
There has been a seven-fold decrease in the number of Covid-related presentations to GPs over the past month.
This is according to GP Buddy, which tracks calls to surgeries around the country.
Dr Shane McKeogh of the service said the number of calls have returned to the level of early December, but the rate of decline is slowing down.
“Certainly over the last week it has stalled at a particular level, but it is a lot lower than where it was... it has plateaued a little bit,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach has said that Ireland is “in for the long haul” in the fight to suppress Covid-19, as the UK variant slows the decline in case numbers.
