No cause for complacency despite fall in Covid numbers

Galway’s Covid-19 death count has stabilised and hospital admissions plummeted – but new confirmed cases of the virus remain higher than most counties, as health officials again warn of the dangers of house parties for spreading the disease.

The West’s death toll stands at 291, including 95 Galway casualties, according to the most up-to-date data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Three more people died in Galway in the week ending February 12, and three died in the week ending February 19.

This compares with 24 Galway deaths in the first week of February. The median age of deaths is 81 and the media age of cases is 33.

Some 75 of the deaths, or three-quarters of the total, occurred in 2021. Last week’s deaths have not yet been registered with CSO.

Mayo’s death toll has risen by 27 in the middle fortnight of February to 152; there have been 44 Covid deaths in Roscommon, up five.

It comes at the HSE West has again warned young people in Galway City of the dangers of house parties – with the new English variant of the virus believed to be spreading faster in the community.

Dr Breda Smyth, Director of Public Health, HSE West said a ‘significant outbreak’ involving young adults aged 18-24, gave rise to 427 confirmed cases over three weeks in February.

She said that the clusters evolved over a period of 20 days, was still ongoing and included up to 200 households.

Read full Covid coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now – or you can download our digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie