The HSE fears that up to 546 people a day will need intensive care for coronavirus in a worst-case scenario, it has been reported.
Models seen by RTE News show that a staggering 1,328 patients a day could need acute care by April 11.
And under the same scenario, up to 546 people would need intensive care by April 13.
However experts were quick to stress that this is a worst-case outcome, and that the strict lockdown measures should mean this scenario is unlikely.
It comes after health officials confirmed yesterday that Ireland is likely to see a peak in Covid-19 cases by around mid-April.
Chief operating officer Ann O’Connor revealed the HSE is planning for the peak to strike between Good Friday and Easter Tuesday.
HSE chief Paul Reid said it was “impossible” to predict exactly when Ireland will reach the peak of the pandemic and warned we are not there yet.
He added: “We have to plan for the worst case scenario. We have to be prepared.”
Ms O’Connor added: “We are certainly working towards a peak in mid-April over the next two to three weeks – that’s what we are planning for but we don’t know. We have to work on some basis when it comes to planning and we are planning for a peak between April 10 and 14.
“The other thing to reiterate is a peak will come and go but we will continue to be very busy. It’s not like all of this will go away after the peak.
“There will be a large group of people who will continue to need our services.”
The health chiefs were speaking at a media briefing held in a landmark hotel which is to become a
quarantine facility for more than 1,000 people.
The Citywest hotel and conference centre has been taken over by the health service as it steps up the war on Covid-19.
It will be used as an overflow to ease pressure on hospitals and vital intensive care unit beds as the virus peak hits.
The hotel, located on the outskirts of Dublin, will house up to 450 patients who have already been treated in the acute hospital system for the virus but are well enough to move to a step-down unit.
A further 750 beds will be available at Citywest for people who need to self-isolate but have no facility to do so at home.
This will include people who have tested positive but are not displaying symptoms, as well as those with mild symptoms who have yet to be tested.
Ms O’Connor told the media briefing the HSE is looking for other similar facilities around the country.
She said: “We hope to have Citywest open by the end of this week. The stepdown facility will only be used if we need it – if there is an overflow of patients from our hospital system.
It will be operational within two to three weeks and can accommodate 450 people.”
Dr Paul Reid said: “Referrals will come mainly from GPs. These rooms will be for people who cannot isolate at home.”
He added the Citywest site is the first of a number of planned facilities to pop up across the country in coming weeks.
There were 88 Covid-19 patients in ICU beds yesterday, the majority in Dublin.
Another 167 ICU beds are available in the public system, as well as a similar number from private hospitals which will be available this week along with 500 consultants and 200 ventilators.
The HSE is testing around 5,000 people a day at 46 centres with another six due on stream next week.
There are 10,700 people waiting for tests and another 4,000 waiting to get an appointment.
Meanwhile, a new contact tracing app which will alert people when someone near them has the coronavirus is in the works and is expected to be rolled out in the next 10 days.
