Many Omicron cases not included in Ireland’s official COVID-19 figures

Tens of thousands of cases of the Omicron variant have not been officially recorded since the start of December, the government has been told, meaning the actual case count in Ireland is likely much higher than previously thought.

Officials were informed on Wednesday that the actual number of cases since early December was likely between 380,000 – 500,000, significantly higher than the official estimate of 220,000 cases, measured via PCR testing.

There is “absolutely no doubt” that case numbers are higher than the figures being reported, Paul Reid, chief executive of Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) said. The body’s chief clinical officer, Dr Colm Henry, added that there could be one or two that went undetected for every case that was registered.

The highly infectious variant has been causing significant disruption in several sectors. Reid on Thursday said that one in eight staff members in the health service were off work and isolated after testing positive for COVID-19 or coming in close contact with someone who has it.

Schools in Ireland have also reported high rates of absences as pupils return to the classroom following the Christmas break. Isolation and concerns over contracting the virus have led to an average 30% decline in attendance at primary and secondary schools, the Irish Times reports, with high numbers of teachers also having to take time off.

(Molly Killeen | EURACTIV.com)