Half of patients in hospital with Covid diagnosed after admission for another condition

Around half the Covid-19 patients in hospital here earlier this month were diagnosed with the virus after admission for another condition.

he other patients were admitted directly due to complications related to Covid-19.

Minutes from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) meeting on January 6 noted that the “experience on the ground appears to imply that of the patients who are admitted with Covid-19, the virus is incidental for approximately half of those admissions and Covid -19 is not the primary reason for admission.”

The meeting was told that if patients have been vaccinated prior to admission, their Covid symptoms appear to be less severe, with quicker turnaround times and less need for oxygen support.

The Nphet meeting was still uncertain about the trajectory of the Omicron variant in Ireland at that time, but it met again last week and advised Government-leading to the removal of most restrictions from Saturday.

The early January noted meeting the need for age-specific hospitalisation data.

«Attention was drawn to emerging international reports on paediatric hospitalisations and it was emphasized that this should be closely monitored over the coming months given that younger children remain unvaccinated, and that the Omicron variant may be capable of causing significant levels of infections in younger age groups , particularly in those aged 0-4 years,” Nphet noted.

«On this point, however, it was highlighted that reports from the UK suggest that the increase in pediatric hospitalisations in school age children is more likely to be a reflection of increased population transmission than the likelihood of Omicron causing greater hospitalization in children.»

Meanwhile the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) in its advice to Nphet on Omicron showed it was associated with less severe disease than previous variants.

Hiqa reviewed measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 and found that, generally, recommendations to avoid large public and private events were still widespread. However, restrictions, such as the required duration of restriction of movements, were beginning to relax in most countries.

Hiqa identified and summarised assessments of the scientific evidence as published by public health agencies and authorities between January 4 and 18. Key factors relating to the impact of the Omicron variant were examined, including assessments of transmission and transmissibility, severity of infection, the ability of Omicron to escape immunity, and the effectiveness of existing vaccines, treatments, and tests.

It said that while the clinical impact of Omicron is still not fully understood, there is growing evidence that Omicron is associated with less severe disease than previous variants.

In considering epidemiological trends since the emergence of the more transmissible Omicron variant, it is noted that by mid-January, cases in the UK and South Africa appeared to have passed a peak and were declining, and that hospital admissions, including intensive care admissions, were stable in these countries.

Hiqa’s director of health technology assessment, Dr Máirín Ryan, said: “Considering the international trends in hospitalisations and ICU admission rates, as well as the scientific evidence on the Omicron variant, there is cautious optimism that things appear to be moving in the right direction , despite ongoing high levels of transmission associated with Omicron. This is reflected in the international public health guidance where there has been some easing of restrictions.”