LETTERKENNY University Hospital is again under extreme pressure as the number of patients being treated with Covid-19 has risen by more than forty per cent in the last week.
Saolta confirmed there are eight areas of the hospital impacted by outbreaks with 57 patients with the virus being treated on Saturday.
This is having an impact on bed availability with long delays being experienced.
A spokesperson for the health care group said: “Letterkenny University Hospital continues to be severely impacted by Covid-19.
“This is having an impact on the bed availability in the hospital and along with the high number of people who are presenting to the Emergency Department is resulting in long delays for patients waiting for a bed to become available on a ward.
“Access for visitors to outbreak wards is limited to compassionate grounds only at this time and these visits should be arranged in advance by calling the hospital and speaking with the nurse manager.”
Visiting to other wards is by appointment only with one visit per patient, per day. To make an appointment contact the ward or unit in advance (before 3pm). Appointments are for 30 minutes and are staggered across all ward areas each day at 6.30pm, 7.15pm and 8pm.
Outpatient and other appointments are going ahead.
As Covid cases in hospitals rise across the country the HSE’s chief clinical officer, Dr Colm Henry repeated a call for anyone eligible for a booster Covid-19 vaccine to get it. He said people who were not vaccinated or had not yet been boosted were “disproportionally” represented in hospital figures.
The latest figures show that Donegal has a 14-day incidence rate of 557 cases per 100,000 of the population up to
July 5.