Covid pressures continue to escalate at Mayo University Hospital

Covid-19 pressures have escalated further at Mayo University Hospital.

The number of positive cases in care at the facility has increased by six to 69, according to the latest report compiled by the HSE at 8 p.m. yesterday.

It remains the ninth highest in the country, the list headed by Cork University Hospital with 126.

Galway University Hospital has 75 positive cases in care.

Between 8 p.m. yesterday and 8 p.m. on January 8, a total of 12 additional confirmed cases were admitted to the Castlebar facility.

There are also five suspected cases, one of which is in the facility's ICU

Nationally, the number of hospitalised confirmed cases now stands at 1,353, an increase of 141 in 24 hours..

The number of patients in intensive care units has increased by 13 to 120.

There are eight vacant general bed at MUH, down by three, and two vacant critical care beds, up by two.

A total of 197 new confirmed cases in Mayo were revealed by the Health Protection Surveillance yesterday evening to bring the county's total to 1,450 for the past two weeks.

It leaves Mayo with a 14-day incidence rate of 1111.1 - below the national average of 1,162.2.