The number of coronavirus patients in Irish hospitals has increased to 1620.
According to overnight figures from the HSE, there are 143 COVID-19 patients in intensive care with their symptoms – with half of them on ventilators.
There are 368 hospital beds left in the system – with 30 adult intensive care beds currently available.
There are no intensive care beds currently available in 13 hospitals, including Cork University Hospital, three hospitals in Dublin and Wexford General.
There are 14 coronavirus patients in intensive care at St James’s Hospital with 11 in both the Mater and University Hospital Limerick.
There are ten apiece in both Galway University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital.
Coronavirus
Ireland is now struggling with the highest virus rate in the world, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The Government’s deal with private hospitals is expected to be triggered this week, with thousands of HSE staff redeployed to deal with the surge.
The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan last night said the country was seeing “the first glimmer of hope” in the fight to reduce virus rates.
He warned however that the situation in Irish hospitals is “likely to get worse before it gets better.”
Officials expect hospital figures to peak at between 2,200 – 2,500 patients in the next two weeks with up 400 people in intensive care.
Private hospitals
The private hospitals deal will see the private facilities making up to 30% of their capacity available to the public sector, as needed.
It can be triggered by the HSE whenever the number of occupied hospital and intensive care beds becomes unsustainable.
Overnight, the world health organisation said the new variants of the virus had given it “new energy” but insisted the surge that has engulfed Ireland was “mainly due to increased social mixing” over Christmas.
