Covid infections in over 60s have doubled since July, warns chief scientific advisor

Prof Ian Young was speaking today at the government’s public briefing, where he said there have also been a record number of hospitalisations relating to the virus since June.

At the same briefing a top nurse said she has never been so concerned about a coming winter, foreseeing the prospect of being ‘overwhelmed’ with elderly patients fighting colds and flu – who are then also hit by a surge of Covid.

Roisin Devlin, the lead nurse in the Ulster Hospital’s A&E department, was speaking alongside Health Minister Robin Swann and Prof Young as part of a public briefing.

There were 129 new confirmed cases of the virus yesterday, making it 641 in total in the last seven days.   

The number of care home infections in NI had dipped to only five suspected outbreaks by August 14 but that has now steadly climbed again to 25 confirmed outbreaks and a further eight suspected.

Prof Young said today that the number of infections per day remains significantly higher in NI than elsewhere in these islands, at just over 60 cases per 100,000 in the past week.

Hospital admissions have also been rising again over the last seven days and there has been an increase in the number of Covid positive inpatients, he said.

“And of today this number is at the highest it has been since late June. This reflects the fact that a higher percentage is being observed in the over-60s – who are at the greatest risk of severe illness – for the last couple of months.

“Currently that is around 15% of cases in the over-60s rather than the figure of around 7-8% that we have seen for most of the periods since early July.”

Ms Devlin issued a plea to the general public not to become complacent as she warned of the risk of a second wave over the winter months.

“I know we’re all weary of Covid and there are some who feel that this pandemic isn’t a big threat, but never in my career have I seen colleagues so concerned about the incoming winter,” she said. “We have no agenda; we’re simply worried for our patients.”

Ms Devlin said increased infection numbers across Northern Ireland were starting to translate into a rise in hospital admissions.

She added: “Traditionally October-November time is when we see our respiratory conditions start to come in.

“And our concern is that those people that would be vulnerable through respiratory conditions – our elderly population, our frail population – if we don’t get a hold on the numbers going up at this time, then we will absolutely start to see the second wave because those people obviously will be compromised, and then the possibility of Covid on top of them could result in a lot of very unwell people attending hospital.”

The nurse added: “If we get a second surge with an overwhelming number of very unwell patients, that’s going to be exceptionally challenging to us.”

Minister Swann said the Executive is setting up a special group, including law enforcement agencies, in the wake of “deplorable” breaches of pandemic restrictions by students in the Holylands area of Belfast.

Health Minister Robin Swann made the announcement yesterday

Footage showing groups of young people at house parties in the Holylands area near Queen’s University this week was “deplorable”, Mr Swann said.

Coronavirus restrictions for Belfast and several other areas of NI became legally enforceable by police yesterday and repeat offenders face fines of up to £960.

The minister said: “It is important that we take swift action because the scenes from last night demand it.”

He added: “I do not think they represent young people across Northern Ireland who have made sacrifices themselves.

“I do not want young people to be the scapegoats for the increase in Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.

“The scenes last night were deplorable.”

A special group including Stormont ministers, police and senior public health experts, is being formed to consider their next move.

“The message must go out loud and clear that dangerous anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated,” Mr Swann said.

“We are on a knife edge.”

Limits have been placed on social interaction between households in the Belfast council area, Ballymena town and postcode areas BT43, BT28 and BT29.

No more than six people, from no more than two households, are allowed to meet in private gardens. Limited exceptions include childcare provision and households that have formed a social bubble with another. People in these areas have also been advised to avoid non-essential journeys outside the affected zones.

Police arrested an 18-year-old man today on suspicion of a number of related offences in the Holylands area of Belfast.

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