It is very likely that some patients have died in recent weeks due to avoidable delays in the healthcare system, according to the Irish Medical Organisation.
Dr Matthew Sadlier, Chairman of the IMO’s Consultant Committee, said there was an even greater chance Ireland would see a further spike in deaths and a delay in diagnosis.
Some people who are expected to go to the emergency room in the coming weeks will not do so for fear of what they have seen recently, Dr. Sadlier said.
A new wave of RSV has been reported in the country’s Midwest health region, which includes counties Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary.
The concern is this will put further pressure on Limerick University Hospital, which has the most overcrowded emergency department in the country.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organization said there were 44 patients waiting for a bed at the UHL this morning.
It said a total of 534 patients were waiting for a bed in emergency rooms or wards, with 56 patients waiting at Cork University Hospital; 36 at Letterkenny University Hospital and 31 at Mater Hospital, Dublin.
Data from the Health Service Executive also shows that overcrowding has increased since yesterday.
As of 8 am, there were 395 patients on the trolleys, an increase of 41 from yesterday’s number and 31% more than that day last year.
The hardest-hit hospitals, according to the HSE, are St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin with 38 patients waiting, followed by the Mater with 31 patients waiting.
The HSE today put the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals at 573.
A Public Health Mid-West consultant said this is an “unprecedented” winter season due to the rise in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), large numbers of flu cases and Covid-19.
Dr Marie Casey said: “This obviously makes it very challenging for the local health services and also is increasing the amount of sickness in the community,” reports RTE.
Meanwhile, doctors have urged people in need of serious treatment to head to emergency rooms rather than intentionally avoiding seeking medical help amid the overcrowding crisis and the rise of respiratory illnesses in hospitals.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, consultant geriatrician at Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin, said those in need of serious treatment are “almost certainly” staying away from hospitals due to overcrowding and rising infections.
Dr Ronan Collins said although emergency rooms were “somewhat chaotic” at the time, people should still seek urgent help if they need it.
“Please, if you think there is something seriously wrong in terms of your breathing, in terms of symptoms of heart disease or symptoms of a stroke, please attend, and ring an ambulance as appropriate,” he said, reports RTE.
On the same show, Dr. Ilona Duffy, Monaghan GP that the so-called ‘perfect storm’ of flu, Covid-19 and RSV has not abated.
DR Duffy said GPs are also noticing a reluctance in people, particularly in older age groups, who are afraid of potentially spending a lot of time in a carriage.
So far fewer than five cases of the strain known as XBB.1.5 have been detected in Ireland.
Speaking to Today with Claire Byrne, Professor Cliona O’Farrelly of Trinity College Dublin said the variant is still being monitored, adding it’s not yet known if it’s making people sicker.
“We do know that the vaccines we have overall are preventing huge numbers of deaths and huge amounts of serious illness, so people should feel really encouraged to get the booster, but also to encourage more and more research to get better vaccines,” she said, reports RTE.
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