No Covid-19 deaths recorded among vaccinated under 50s, HPSC says

Further 1,059 cases reported while data shows over 100 breakthrough infections among fatalities

No Covid-19 deaths among vaccinated people aged under 50 have been recorded in Ireland, new figures show.

Between April and September, there were 103 breakthrough infections among people who died and were fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the latest update from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

Of these, the average age was 81 years and 64 people (62.1 per cent) were reported as having an underlying condition. Their ages ranged from 50 to 97 years.

Hospital Report

Over the period, there were 301 Covid-19 deaths; slightly over half of these (50.8 per cent) occurred in people who were not vaccinated.

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With more than 90 per cent of the adult population now vaccinated, breakthrough infections in vaccinated people are accounting for an increasing proportion of deaths and intensive care (ICU) admissions.

Overall, though, the risk of serious outcomes is greatly reduced through vaccination.

US studies have showns unvaccinated people are 29 times more likely to be hospitalised and 11 times more likely to die than unvaccinated people.

Separately, there were 70 breakthrough infections among people who were admitted to intensive care between April 1st and September 25th and who were fully vaccinated, according to the HPSC.

Over the period, a total of 356 people were admitted to ICU, of whom 70 per cent were unvaccinated. Of the breakthrough infections who were fully vaccinated at least 14 days before admission to ICU, the average age was 65 and the age range was 30 to 88 years. Some 97 per cent had an underlying condition and one-third died.

On Friday, the National Public Health Emergency Team reported a further 1,059 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

As of 8am on Friday, 308 Covid-19 patients were hospitalised, of which 59 were in intensive care units.

Children

Over the past fortnight, children aged 12 and under have accounted for more than one-quarter of Covid-19 infections, according to a separate HPSC report.

Those aged up to four years accounted for 6.3 per cent of cases and children aged from five to 12 accounted for 19.4 per cent.

Over the period, 322 people were hospitalised, including 12 children aged up to four years, and four aged five to 12.

Carlow, Longford and Donegal have the highest county incidences, and Wicklow and Wexford the lowest. The national incidence continues to remain stable after three weeks, at 391.6 cases per 100,000 people.

Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen is a former heath editor of The Irish Times.