Healthcare workers, who are deemed close contacts of someone with Covid 19, are being asked to return to work if they have no symptoms. 

It comes as the number of patients in hospital with the virus hits another record high.

1,750 patients are being treated in hospital nationally today with Covid 19 and 158 are in ICU.

The head of the HSE Paul Reid says this is a level beyond comprehension.

7,000 health staff are currently unavailable as they have the virus or are deemed close contacts which is putting a huge strain on the health system.

The HSE says these returning workers will be closely monitored.

Mayo deputy Rose Conway Walsh told Midwest News that today’s move to recall healthcare staff that are deemed close contacts is an extraordinary move in what can be termed a response to a national crisis.

Nonetheless, she says it’s worrying considering all the people that have contacted her recently to say they or their loved one had contracted the virus in an healthcare setting.

The Sinn Fein Deputy says calling back staff in self isolation today raises a number of concerns for both healthcare workers and the general public.

All healthcare workers now have to wear face-masks when providing close care to  patients.

It applies to nurses, doctors and healthcare assistants in both public and private settings, treating all patients whether they have Covid 19 or not.

The INMO says it's something they have been pushing for.

The number of Covid-19 related deaths here has more than doubled in 24 hours.

Ten more people diagnosed with the virus have died, bringing the death toll to 19 this side of the border, 10 in Northern Ireland – a total of 29 now on the island of Ireland.

There have also been a further 255 confirmed cases here , meaning there are now 1,819 cases recorded in the Republic, 241 confirmed cases in NI. That’s more than 2,000 cases on the island of Ireland.

Latest figures show there are 14 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Mayo, 45 in Galway, 8 in Sligo and 5 in Roscommon.

The National Public Health Emergency Team here meets this morning, with health officials very concerned about increases in ICU admissions, clusters of nursing home cases, and the spread of the virus among health workers.

Chief medical officer Tony Holohan says the death toll will continue to rise.

Nearly one in ten (9.2%) diagnosed COVID-19 cases in Ireland are nurses, according to HSE figures obtained by the INMO.

The figures show that healthcare workers generally make up over a quarter of the COVID-19 positive cases tested in Ireland.

Out of the 9,599 cases diagnosed by the 11^th of April, this amounted to 2,501 healthcare workers (26%) – over a third (883) of whom were nurses.

 Ireland faces one of the highest rates of diagnosed healthcare worker infection in Europe.

The INMO has called for action and clarity on the figures, including:

 A universal face mask policy for all workers in healthcare settings,

More frequent and detailed publication of statistics on healthcare worker infection, including the source of transmission,

Updated guidance on PPE and for occupational health, ensuring that healthcare staff are given appropriate and safe time for self-isolation.

 INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, says “the overall public health measures are having a welcome and substantial impact on the spread of COVID-19. Worryingly, rates of healthcare worker infection are on the rise. 

Nearly one in ten (9.2%) diagnosed COVID-19 cases in Ireland are nurses, according to HSE figures obtained by the INMO.

The figures show that healthcare workers generally make up over a quarter of the COVID-19 positive cases tested in Ireland.

Out of the 9,599 cases diagnosed by the 11^th of April, this amounted to 2,501 healthcare workers (26%) – over a third (883) of whom were nurses.

Ireland faces one of the highest rates of diagnosed healthcare worker infection in Europe. The INMO has called for action and clarity on the figures, including a universal face mask policy for all workers in healthcare settings,more frequent and detailed publication of statistics on healthcare worker infection, including the source of transmission, updated guidance on PPE and for occupational health, ensuring that healthcare staff are given appropriate and safe time for self-isolation.

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, says “the overall public health measures are having a welcome and substantial impact on the spread of COVID-19. Worryingly, rates of healthcare worker infection are on the rise. We need to urgently see a detailed breakdown of where the infection is occurring, in order to take rapid corrective action. That should include a review of policy to ensure everyone working in a healthcare facility has the appropriate level of PPE. We need to urgently see a detailed breakdown of where the infection is occurring, in order to take rapid corrective action. That should include a review of policy to ensure everyone working in a healthcare facility has the appropriate level of PPE”.

 We need to urgently see a detailed breakdown of where the infection is occurring, in order to take rapid corrective action. That should include a review of policy to ensure everyone working in a healthcare facility has the appropriate level of PPE.