“I admitted five patients from their homes. This is serious. People know it’s serious.”
Dr Swanick believes the highly infectious UK variant of the virus is responsible for the surge in cases in the area.
Over the past week three people in the area have died from Covid. More than 30 people are receiving treatment in the hospital, including up to five in ICU.
Local doctors and healthcare staff say they are in the midst of a crisis, the likes of which they have never seen.
The area has an incidence of 6,032 per 100,000, with 760 cases among the population of 12,600.
The latest data examines the 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 up to last Monday, January 11. In the same period, 20 areas of the country had rates of over 2,000 per 100,000 people.
Tragic Irish nurse who died of Covid-19 taken away by hearse as husband rushed to hospital
Popular nurse Bernie McAndrew and her husband Ian, from Belmullet in Co Mayo, both contracted coronavirus last week
Updated
Popular Irish nurse Bernie McAndrew, a nurse from Belmullet, Co Mayo. (Image: Family Handout/PA Wire)
Never miss an update on schools, pubs and coronavirus cases with our free newsletterInvalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up!
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with ourPrivacy Notice.
Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice
The sudden death of a much loved nurse in Belmullet, Co Mayo, has stunned the local community who are grappling with a crippling Covid-19 infection rate.
Bernie McAndrew (57) died suddenly at home after she and her husband Ian were diagnosed with Covid-19 last week.
An active golfer and community worker, Ms McAndrew’s tragic death is another horrific illustration of the cruel cost of Covid-19.
The Irish Independent understands Mr McAndrew was rushed to hospital moments after his wife was pronounced dead.
Neighbours and friends of the popular couple looked on in desperation as Bernie’s body was removed from the house as an ambulance waited to transfer Ian to hospital.
Residents of a small village watched in horror as a popular local nurse who died of Covid-19 was taken away by hearse, just as an ambulance arrived to take her husband to hospital.
Popular nurse Bernie McAndrew and her husband Ian, from Belmullet in Co Mayo, both contracted the coronavirus last week.
Mrs McAndrew tragically passed away on Sunday, with a hearse taking her body from the family home just as an ambulance arrived to rush her husband to hospital.
Locals in the areas were said to be “stunned” by the death, as the village struggles with a rampant Covid-19 infection rate.