A severe New Year’s Covid-19 outbreak has hit 40 of the 65 elderly residents at a Laois nursing home.
A further 15 of the 75 staff at Droimnín Nursing Home in Stradbally have also been diagnosed with the virus.
Droimnín Nursing Home in Stradbally has a severe New Year’s outbreak of the virus, with 40 of the 65 elderly residents testing positive. One resident with the virus has sadly died.
This is the first time the nursing home has been hit by the virus and Gearóid Brennan, chief executive of the Brookhaven Healthcare group, which runs Droimnín confirmed the outbreak.
The first case at the nursing home was diagnosed on or just before New Year’s Eve last Thursday.
Asymptomatic
Mr Brennan said that about 40 residents and 15 staff are suffering from the virus. The vast majority of residents are asymptomatic but some have Covid-19 symptoms.
A contingency plan has been put in place and a special Covid ward has been set up at the facility, which has been visited by a HSE Infection Prevention and Control official.
Meanwhile, all scheduled inpatient and surgery at St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny has been postponed as Covid-19 cases soar.
Management at the hospital which serves several counties in the southeast has confirmed that all scheduled inpatient and surgery/gynaecology will be postponed until at least January 18th apart from very urgent emergency cases.
All outpatient appointments will be postponed with the exception of antenatal and oncology clinics.
This includes the off-site Carlow clinics, apart from the maternity antenatal clinic and all affected patients will be contacted directly by the hospital.
