Connacht Tribune
Figures reveal scale of Galway Omicron spread
More than 29,000 people in Galway caught Covid-19 during six weeks of the Omicron wave of the pandemic this winter.
New figures from Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) suggest that more than 10% of the population of the city and county contracted the virus during the fifth wave over Christmas and New Year.
The HSPC said that there were 29,109 confirmed Covid cases in Galway from December 19 to January 29, which could be an underestimate.
The most recent HSPC data shows almost 7,000 people in Galway contracted Covid-19 in the fourth week of January.
The HPSC said a total of 6,944 cases were recorded in Galway between January 23 and 29. That represented 5.4% of all cases nationally in that week, and gave a incidence rate locally of 2,690 per 100,000.
The highest recorded number of cases in Galway came during the second week of January when some 7,066 people were logged as having contracted the virus. Restrictions were eased the following week.
Confirmed cases of Covid were high in Galway’s hospitals during the fifth wave and UHG consistently had the highest number of Covid positive patients of any hospital in the country during January.
But despite outbreaks within local public hospitals they were not overwhelmed and ICU admissions were relatively low compared to previous waves of the other two variants.
Deaths from the Omicron wave were also lower than previous waves. A total of 17 Covid-19 deaths were recorded in Galway during the six weeks of the fifth wave, bringing the total number of fatalities to 183, according to HSPC.
It comes as UHG and Merlin Park reintroduced visiting by appointment this week. Access for visiting is limited to one person per patient per day between 2pm-3pm and 6pm-7pm and must be arranged in advance.
Visitors are still required to produce Covid-19 certificates or proof of vaccinations to get in, although some exemptions may apply on “compassionate grounds”. They are also asked to wear masks.
Children are asked not to visit, unless agreed in advance and on compassionate grounds. Access is available for birthing partners in the maternity department, where separate arrangements for visitors apply.
Visits are by appointment in Portiuncula, too, but planned elective surgery, day cases and outpatient appointments are “going ahead as usual” in the Ballinasloe hospital, according to the HSE.
UHG and Merlin Park said they were “reviewing planned elective surgery on a daily basis and prioritising time-sensitive procedures”. Day case and outpatient procedures are proceeding as planned, according to the HSE.
Pressure from Covid-care has eased at UHG but Portiuncula remains extremely busy with Covid-positive patients relative to its size.
There were some 24 confirmed cases of Covid-19 being treated in Ballinasloe on Monday, including one in ICU, following an outbreak on wards there. It was one of the highest numbers of Covid-positive patients at Portiuncula during the Pandemic.
There were 34 confirmed cases at UHG, which has more than halved in a fortnight. In mid-January the number of confirmed cases at UHG exceeded 80 on a number of days. It was treating four Covid positive patients in ICU on Monday.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
