Suddenly overwhelmed, Ireland says thousands of COVID-19 cases have yet to be added

Suddenly overwhelmed, Ireland says thousands of COVID-19 cases have yet to be added

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Suddenly overwhelmed, Ireland says thousands of COVID-19 cases have yet to be added





World News

Reuters team




DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ireland said on Friday that it had underreported cases of coronavirus in the past few days in thousands more than previously known, as its system was under pressure, suggesting that the fastest growing spurt in the EU is getting worse even faster than the numbers show.

The empty shopping street in the city center is seen after the government imposed the highest level of restrictions amid the spread of the coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) in Galway, Ireland, on January 1, 2021. REUTERS / Clodagh Kilcoyne
A Catholic worshiper places a statue of the Virgin Mary outside Galway Cathedral before a rosary prayer rally for the return of public mass, after the government imposed the highest level of restrictions amid the spread of the disease pandemic. coronavirus (COVID-19), in Galway, Ireland, January 1, 2021. REUTERS / Clodagh Kilcoyne

More than 9,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 have not yet been included in the official confirmed case count, the National Public Health Emergency Team said. A day earlier, he estimated the number of positive tests still pending registration at just 4,000.

Ireland went from the lowest infection rate in the European Union just two weeks ago to the fastest deterioration rate, after shops and large parts of the hospitality sector were able to reopen in most of December.

A large volume of positive tests since Christmas has led to a delay in the formal confirmation of positive swabs as new individual cases. Ireland formally reported a daily record of 1,754 confirmed cases on Friday, exceeding 1,500 daily cases for the fourth consecutive day.

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