A GP in the west, who is battling Covid-19 himself, has spoke of his difficulty keeping up with the rocketing transmission rates and people testing positive for the deadly bug.
Belmullet has the highest coronavirus rate in Ireland and Dr Fergal Ruane is continuing to work over the phone while sick because he is unable to find a locum to cover for him.
One in every 18 people, or 5.5% of the population in the Co Mayo community contracted the virus in the fortnight to Monday, January 18 -five times the national average.
Dr Fergal Ruane, who sent a number of people to hospital said: “The local area is shell-shocked, there’s a lot of people in fear.
“The figures are staggering.
“The numbers of people who are dying are in to the double digits now.”
More than 700 people tested positive for the deadly bug among the 12,600 people in the Co Mayo area, which includes Belmullet, Achill and part of west Mayo.
Dr Fergal Ruane, who agreed Belmullet was like a Covid enclave, said two-thirds of his calls were related to Covid on Friday.
He told RTE Radio 1’s Morning Ireland: “Covid has arrived here and devastated the area.”
