HSE Expects Significant Increase In Demand For Covid Tests Onces Schools Re-Open.

Sunday, 22 August 2021 11:59

Up to 15,000 tests are being carried out at HSE testing sites each day

The head of the HSE's test and trace programme says it's expecting a significant increase in demand next month once schools reopen.

Up to 15,000 tests are being carried out at HSE testing sites each day, with roughly 70 percent of those self-referrals.

Ireland's positivity rate currently stands at 9 percent - up from 2.4 at the start of July.

Niamh O'Beirne says she expects an increase in the numbers presenting for tests over the coming weeks

More from National News

Call For Sanitary Bins In Men’s Toilets To Support Prostate Cancer Survivors

Audio

Each year, around 4000 men in Ireland are diagnosed with the disease, with research from PHS and the Irish Cancer Society finding more than half of men with incontinence feel anxious because of poor toilet facilities.
Kfm Strengthens Position As Kildare’s Most Listened-To Station, According To Latest Ipsos/MRBI Report

Kfm CEO Clem Ryan said: “This latest research is a major reflection of the power of local radio, which showcases local issues , and where advertisers reach their target customers in real time."
Quarter Of Uisce Éireann Staff Earned Over €100k Last Year

Audio

Officials from Uisce Eireann are appearing before the Public Accounts Committee, outlining the company’s financial statements for 2024.
Own-Brand Foods Often Produced By Same Factories As Big Labels, Says Money Doctor John Lowe

Choosing own-brand products can also save money, with Lowe noting that many supermarket labels are produced by the same manufacturers as well-known brands.
Meath Bird Flu Case Prompts Warning, But Chicken And Turkey Safe To Eat, Says Agriculture Minister

Audio

After confirmed cases in Carlow and Cork, the Department of Agriculture is imposing a mandatory order for all poultry and captive birds to be kept indoors from next Monday.
One-Month Road Closure In Catherinestown To Start Next Week To Facilitate Maynooth Pipeline Works

The road will shut from the junction with the L5050 at Catherinstown to the L1015 at Kellystown from November 10th to December 6th.
Commuter Chaos On M7/N7 Renews Calls For Standby Emergency Response Team During Morning Gridlock

Minister for Public Expenditure and Infrastructure Jack Chambers said he would ask Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the Minister Of Transport to better resource the response to certain incidents.
Two Men Arrested In Connection With Fire At An IPAS Centre In Co. Louth

Residents had to be evacuated by the fire service after the blaze broke out on Halloween night.