The numbers of people with Covid-19 in the Tramore area have 'dramatically swelled' according to a GP in the town.
GP Austin Byrne says rough estimates indicate around 1 in 20 people in Tramore now has the virus.
Dr Byrne from the Tramore Medical Clinic says they noticed the rise in cases from St Stephen's Day. In their clinic, approximately 4% of the practice patients have the virus, and between themselves and the other large medical practice in the town, there are 'hundreds' of cases:
"Certainly at this point we have well in excess of 250 between the main practices in the town with Covid."
Dr Byrne says a number of superspreader events are to blame:
"We have had a significant number of individual superspreader events, so several discreet occasions where people came together to socialise and have the craic, unfortunately with Covid that is the perfect storm."
Dr Byrne said the cases were among the younger 18-35 age group, there were very few cases in the higher risk age group. He added that there was unlikely to be high level of hospitalisations as a result of the outbreak. For most of those affected, it is 'akin to a flu-like illness'.
However, if there was secondary spread that was where there would be 'trouble', so that is why people are being urged to stay at home.
Meanwhile, you can listen back to the full Deise Today from this morning (also featuring interviews with DCU health professor Anthony Staines and Waterford Minister Mary Butler) by clicking below here...
