The number of patients with Covid-19 at University Hospital Waterford has reached 111.
That's according to the latest Daily Operations Update from the HSE.
UHW is one of 10 acute hospitals across the country with more than 100 patients.
The Waterford figure is almost double what it was a week ago when 56 patients were being treated at the facility.
The number of patients in critical care remains unchanged at 6.
2,023 people with Covid-19 are being treated in Irish hospitals this morning- the first time the figure has risen over 2,000 since the start of the pandemic.
HSE CEO Paul Reid has tweeted to say there are over 400 people across the hospital system getting ventilation or respiratory support.
2,023 patients are now in hospital with #COVID19. Over 400 are receiving high grade ventillation & respiratory support inside & outside of ICU. Our national critical care surge plans are activated. Were working really hard to remain in control. Your help counts. @HSELive
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) January 18, 2021
An infectious diseases expert says it will take weeks more for our third wave of Covid-19 to tail off.
Professor Sam McConkey of the RCSI says the surge in cases after Christmas has created many more secondary infections.
"We're still seeing those secondary cases in households and it takes a few weeks for those numbers to really drop.
"I think it is dropping and I'm hoping that it's going to continue to drop in the next couple of weeks, I'm reasonably optimistic it will."
