Strong signal The worst of the surge is over as the positivity rate of PCR tests falls

One of the clearest signals that the country is weathering the worst of this Covid-19 wave came yesterday, when the positivity rate among people with PCR tests fell to 25.3 percent, almost half the level at the end of March.

The number of positive PCR tests is an important indicator of the spread of the virus.

There are still many viruses circulating and there are concerns that increased socializing over Easter could increase the risk of transmission of the highly contagious BA.2.

A further 1,715 positive PCR tests were reported yesterday, with 2,049 registering they had the virus after an antigen test, a further drop in the daily case count.

The number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 fell to 1,081 yesterday from 1,182 on Friday. Of those, 55 are in intensive care – down by three over the weekend.

Despite the decline in patients with Covid-19 on wards, hospitals remain under pressure as the influx of people with other conditions coming through emergency rooms remains high.

Beaumont Hospital in Dublin yesterday had 20 patients on trolleys who had to lie in a bed.

Karen McGowan, a nurse in the hospital’s emergency room, warned: “As we enter another holiday season, overcrowding in our emergency rooms is predictable.

“The hospital must make every effort to create additional capacity during this time. The colleagues in Beaumont are under a lot of pressure.”

Ms McGowan is also President of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organization.

“It is time for management to step in and seek the support of private hospitals in the area and inform GPs in the area of ​​the severity of the overcrowding,” she said.

She added that “the level of overcrowding at Beaumont is extremely concerning”.

“We received reports from Beaumont this morning that 20 patients have been admitted to the ER without being placed in beds and that any additional capacity is being utilised,” she said.

Hospitals are also threatened with industrial action by thousands of young doctors because of long working hours.

The trainees, known as Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs), who are members of the Irish Medical Organisation, said there were breaches of working hours and contract claims.

speaker dr John Cannon said industrial action was likely in the absence of an “urgent and serious” commitment by the HSE to address long-standing concerns about working conditions, safe working hours and routine breaches of contract.

The mood of his colleagues was “demoralized, frustrated and angry,” he said.

Around 7,500 residents make up two-thirds of the medical staff in hospitals.