Ireland experiencing COVID-19 surge, biggest daily increase anywhere in the world

A tiny European nation of 4.9 million people has recorded the biggest daily spike in COVID-19 cases anywhere in the world as a new strain takes hold.

The Irish Times is calling Ireland the “world’s worst pandemic hot spot” and the data supports the grim claim.

The country of 4.9 million is in the grip of a wave that has seen new daily COVID-19 cases per million people reach levels beyond both the UK and the US where the virus is running rampant.

“Folks, if you think COVID-19 cases is really bad in the US, it is even more epically surging in the UK and Ireland,” wrote world-renowned epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding.

He noted the “new variant” – a strain that has made its way to Australia – was responsible in part for the spike.

FOLKS—if you think #COVID19 cases is really bad in the US, it is even more epically surging in the UK 🇬🇧 & Ireland 🇮🇪. I made a short video... and highlighted the simultaneous rise in the more contagious b117 variant. Denmark CDC thinks B117 will become dominant strain by Feb. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/FHvEmRP5oy

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) January 10, 2021

Local media reports blame the Christmas break and a lack of social distancing requirements for the dramatic increase in cases.

AFP reports Ireland saw the biggest increase in new cases per day anywhere in the world on January 8, with a mighty 312 per cent spike, or 5100 new cases per day.

The figure was the highest among countries which have registered more than 1000 daily cases over the past week.

It had one of the lowest infection rates in Europe in November and December. Slovenia follows with 65 per cent more, or 1900 cases, Portugal (65 per cent, 6100), Argentina (52 per cent, 10,900) and Nigeria (52 per cent, 1200).

Ireland’s head of emergency response, Mike Ryan, told reporters Ireland had “suffered one of the most acute increases in disease incidence of any country in the world”.

“And not due to the variant, let me add, but due to increased social mixing and reduction of physical distancing,” he said.

“New variant strains have not been the driver of new transmission.”

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The seven-day rolling average of new cases per 100,000 people shows Ireland clearly ahead of the rest of the UK and the US.

The Irish Times, citing World Health Organisation infection disease epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove, reports the country is experiencing “near vertical growth”.

“Transmission was down to single digits in most countries in Europe over the summer,” Dr Van Kerkhove said.

“And we lost the battle because we changed our mixing patterns over the summer, into the fall, and especially Christmas and New Year holidays. The number of contacts that individuals had and their families had increased significantly.”

Irish leader Micheál Martin defended a decision to open up ahead of Christmas – a decision critics say led directly to the largest wave in Europe.

“We accept our responsibility, but we have acted at all times in responding effectively to the waves that have emerged,” he told Newstalk radio.

But his critics were stinging.

That vertical green line is Ireland leading the world in infections. pic.twitter.com/emhtNjIjy1

— Rory Carroll (@rorycarroll72) January 11, 2021

Seán L’Estrange, a social scientist at University College Dublin, told The Guardian the decision was “reckless”.

“They disregarded the evidence. Even Boris Johnson eventually U-turned and cancelled Christmas in England but our crowd over here stuck their fingers in their ears. It was weak and sentimental government,” he said.

The WHO has urged Ireland’s residents to do everything they can to prevent the virus circulating further, including wearing masks, ensuring ventilation in crowded indoor spaces and social distancing.