SOCIAL gatherings such as weddings, stag parties and post football match celebrations are contributing to Donegal’s rising rate of Covid-19, according to a Public Health Specialist.

Dr Anthony Breslin warned that case numbers have risen to as high as 150 cases on some days. He warned that symptomatic people are continuing to socialise which has led to the worrying increase.

“The numbers are going up. They are 130, 140 or 150 some days,” said Dr Breslin.

“We are seeing cases and outbreaks from weddings, stag dos, post football celebrations. There is a lot of it out there.

“People who have symptoms are not staying at home and they are going out doing things.

“People who are close contacts who don’t know they are about to get sick are not social distancing and wearing masks and are passing it on unknowingly.”

Although cases are present in all age groups the highest numbers are within the 15 to 45 age bracket.

Dr Breslin said they do not have an issue in schools. While there are cases there are not many and most infections are occurring at home.

Thankfully the HSE is also not seeing a lot of cases in the county’s residential facilities or nursing homes.

Looking ahead to the Christmas party season Dr Breslin urged people to celebrate safely.

“If you are going for a night out with friends and if you have symptoms don’t go,” he said.

“If you are supposed to be wearing a mask, if you are in a taxi or waiting to sit down, wear a mask.”

The message is to go back to basics – hand washing, social distancing and face coverings. These three actions are “phenomenally protective”.

Another issue is people going to work with symptoms. Workers are being urged to stay at home if they have symptoms and get tested and if they develop symptoms at work to leave.

Dr Breslin said as well as Donegal numbers are rising in our neighbouring counties Sligo and Leitrim.

Yesterday there were 22 confirmed cases of Covid-19 at Letterkenny University Hospital and two of these patients were in Intensive Care.

Compared to this time last year case numbers in the county’s hospitals are down by almost a quarter and cases in ICU are down by a tenth.