There are 12 patients with Covid-19 in University Hospital Waterford.
In total, there are 22 confirmed cases in Waterford, as of midnight on Tuesday.
Waterford TD David Cullinane held a a conference call with hospital management this afternoon.
He says capacity is being scaled up at UHW:
"There are two Covid wards in the Dunmore Wing; both of those wards are operational. They're providing support and care for some who have contracted the virus, and others who are suspected of having the virus; there's a separation of those patients.
"What we're being told is that by the middle of next week there will be anything up to 150 free and additional beds that can be used for Covid purposes. In cases at the moment, there are 12 confirmed cases at the hospital and seven patients waiting for swabs."
The Sinn Féin deputy says there hasn't been any cases of staff contracting the virus:
"There's over 100 staff members from the hospital who are currently in self-isolation. In every hospital, there is a level of risk and people who develop symptoms, whether they be staff or others, have to self-isolate.
"Thankfully there hasn't been anybody who has contracted the virus in University Hospital Waterford, so that shows that the precautions that have been put in place are working."
