Covid clusters see Galway spike

Galway has recorded its biggest increase in new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in over three months – on the back of two identified clusters close to the city.

The spike comes as the Health Service Executive investigates specific outbreaks in Renmore and Oranmore, and two popular hospitality businesses in the city announced temporary closures after employees were exposed to Covid-19.

And the latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures reveal that two more people died in Galway from Covid-19 in July and August, bringing the total number of local deaths from the virus to eleven.

In the week to Monday, Galway registered 31 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, although none are currently in hospital.

This included two on Monday, one on Thursday, seven last Friday, nine on Saturday, six on Sunday, and six this Monday. It is the highest weekly increase in confirmed cases in Galway since the final week of May.

The last time Galway recorded nine or more new cases was over three months ago, on Tuesday, May 23, when an additional nine cases were confirmed. Galway’s case total since March is 546.

The Department of Public Health wrote to GPs on Monday confirming it is currently investigating ‘a number of clusters of Covid-19 in the Renmore/Oranmore, which have geographical links to Oranmore village’.

“We have yet to identify a common source between these clusters. The investigation and contract tracing is ongoing,” said Director of Public Health, Dr Breda Smyth in the communication with doctors.

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