Covid-19 claims lives of 31 kidney patients with infections falling after masks introduced
The Irish Kidney Association has said that 31 kidney patients have died from Covid-19 here.
A total of 115 people with end-stage kidney disease were diagnosed with the virus.
The association said 27 dialysis and four transplant patients passed away up until May 25.
It said the fact that dialysis patients could not cocoon, as they have to attend hospital or satellite dialysis units in person three times a week, has exposed them to a high risk of contracting the virus.
It said that the number of kidney patients contracting Covid-19 was "rising significantly" by around 20 patients a week during March and early
April and, in response, it secured masks for all haemodialysis patients which were distributed during the second week of April.
The association then saw the number of infections among its patients fall by 50% (10 new patients per week) during the last two weeks of April, and 80% by early May (four new patients in first week of May).
No coronavirus deaths in dialysis or kidney transplant patients have been reported since May 16.
