Fri. Nov 18th, 2022

The National Public Health Emergency Team is to meet again to review progress being made in reducing the incidence of Covid-19.  
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has said that the profile of the disease is improving but that does not mean it is time to take a step back from our adherence to public health guidelines.
Meanwhile there is concern about the slower pace of progress in Co Donegal, particularly in those parts of the county closer to the border with Northern Ireland.
There were 25 confirmed Covid-19 patients, along with another four suspected cases, being treated in Letterkenny University Hospital at 8pm last night and just one spare hospital bed available.
It was a reflection of the pressure on health services in the region, which now has the highest 14-day incidence of the disease in the country.
The latest figures show the incidence of Covid-19 in Donegal has fallen by just 6.3% since the Level 5 restrictions were introduced three weeks ago. 
The national average reduction has been eight times faster.
CoMonaghan, also on the border, had the same disease incidence as Donegal when Level 5 restrictions were introduced, but the reduction there has been 11 times faster.
Donegal is likely to feature when the NPHET meets today amid a raft of generally positive Covid-19 trends elsewhere.
Nationally, the five-day incidence of the disease has fallen by 70% over the past three weeks and Ireland now has the fourth lowest incidence out of 31 European countries.