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A local lockdown for Limerick is not currently being considered, the Chief Medical Officer has told a meeting of politicians and public health officials from the county.
However, testing in the county is to be increased in an effort to bring the spread of Covid-19 under control. The 14 day incidence of Covid infection in Limerick is several times the national average after a surge in cases this week.
It has seen some 800 cases in the last fortnight.
More than 100 cases were reported in Limerick on Wednesday, the highest number since cases surged nationally at the start of the year, with the infections being largely linked by a local HSE official to “high risk” indoor activities such as parties and family events.
Multiple attendees at the meeting said Dr Tony Holohan had said a lockdown is not currently on the cards.
“There’s no contemplation of postponing the easing of restrictions, or any lockdown, you can rule that out,” said Willie O’Dea, Fianna Fáil TD for Limerick City.
The mayor of Limerick City and Council, Michael Collins, said there was a “clear message” at the meeting.
“There’s no lockdown being planned for Limerick. The case count is high, we can make small changes over the weekend to bring it down. They did it in Donegal, if we follow the same patterns of behaviour we can get the case count down in a number of days”.
Health officials held talks with Limerick politicians on Friday following a recent surge in Covid-19 cases in the county which the HSE chief executive had said has created a volatile situation.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Dr Holohan briefed Limerick-based TDs and Senators on the situation in the county, Mr Donnelly on Friday said the surge in Limerick is “eminently solvable” and he had spoken to Dr Holohan and had been assured the spread of the Indian variant or Delta variant was not a factor.
“This is the B117 variant or whichever Alpha, Beta we’re giving that one,” he told the Seanad. “I’ve no doubt the people of Limerick city and county are already stepping up to deal with this and there is fantastic work going on, on the ground.”
Reminder
Mr Donnelly said the high case numbers were a reminder of “why you do need public health measures”.
Dr Holohan expressed concern on Thursday over the “significant increase” in cases, “the majority of which occurred as a result of indoor gatherings”.
In a series of tweets, Dr Holohan said incidence of the virus in Limerick had increased sharply to 411 cases per 100,000 people, the highest in the country.
“It is extremely important that everyone in the Limerick region continues to adhere to the public health advice,” he said.
HSE chief executive Paul Reid said the situation remained very volatile and that “the virus has caught us every time we dropped our guard”.
He told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the “multiplier effect” can quickly lead to a rise in cases.
Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn on Friday said the situation was not good in Limerick but it could be overcome. Previously, he told Spin FM, when such difficulties had arisen the response of the medical profession, local businesses and politicians and the community had been excellent and he was optimistic that would be the case again.