LIMERICK has the highest number of suspected Covid -19 cases awaiting test results in the country this week.
This is despite laboratory staff working flat out to handle 200 or more tests every day.
According to the latest daily figures from the HSE, University Hospital Limerick had 53 suspected cases of the virus waiting for a test result.
The hospital was also treating 33 confirmed Covid-19 cases at 8pm on Tuesday night, the joint highest in the country outside the acute hospitals in Dublin.
Five of these patients were being treated in the critical care unit, along with six suspected cases. The unit still had five more critical care beds should more patients need admission to the unit.
Those patients who are awaiting test results are being cared for in isolation rooms. The hospital has upwards of 90 rooms for patients who need isolating.
The on-site lab is delivering results in between 24 and 48 hours, while still maintaining testing for other clinical needs.
The testing figures were revealed in a recent letter to Limerick TDs who were told that tests for in-patients, health-care staff and residents of nursing homes are prioritised.
It is understood that many of the test results are still delivering a negative result and those patients can be treated and discharged when appropriate.
The hospital is also seeing an increase in people with other conditions some of whom delayed coming to hospital and will need longer hospitalisation as a result.
The vast majority of cases of the virus are still being detected in Dublin, where acute hospital have between 56 and 103 confirmed cases being cared for as in-patients.
