Waiting times in the midlands hospitals may be on the rise soon.
The HSE is warning of an increase in cases of flu and covid in the coming weeks.
The HSE is seeing an increase in people with respiratory illnesses attending emergency departments - 538 people with flu and 282 with COVID attended emergency departments this week, an increase from 312 (flu) and 144 (COVID) the previous week.
Increasing community infection rates will lead to increased risk of outbreaks in hospitals, nursing homes and residential care facilities, potentially affecting the most vulnerable people.
There are currently 30 outbreaks of COVID in hospitals and 24 in nursing homes, again an increase from last week.
Meanwhile, 182 people are waiting for beds in hospitals around the country today.
The latest figures from the INMO show 138 patients are waiting in emergency departments, while 44 are in wards.
In Laois, Offaly and Westmeath the figure is just five.
With four people waiting for a bed in Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar and one in Portlaoise.
Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Midland Regional Hospitals Tullamore and Mullingar, Anna Moore, says that while the EDs are going to be busy, they're there for people to use if they're unwell:
Biodiversity Week Heralds Celebration Of Midlands "Flora And Fauna"
Offaly Job Fair Has Proven Track Record - Tullamore Chamber Of Commerce
Defence Forces Design Needs To Come Before New HQ Says Tánaiste
Hoped Jobs In Offaly Private Hospital Will Be New
Residents Of Laois IPAS Centre Felt They Weren't Being Listened To
Calls To Establish MIDOC-Like Mental Health Service In Laois
Man Charged In Connection With Midlands GAA Club Break-In
Unsanctioned Modular Homes Removed From Westmeath Village
Woman Living With Colitis - People Who Meet Me Wouldn't Know I Was Ill"
Residents In Westmeath Town Turn Out To Oppose Unsanctioned Modular Homes
Man Hospitalised After 'Serious' Westmeath Assault
Lack Of Accessible Taxis In Laois Leaves Them Unavailable When Needed - Councillor Walsh
New Offaly Hospital To Create Up To 300 New Jobs
Over 1,000 Premises In Westmeath Added To High Speed Broadband Area
Central Location Makes Custume Barracks Ideal For Army HQ - Troy
Man Dies In Midlands Workplace Incident
Calls For An Offaly Train Station To Have Its Own Station Master Again
TUS Honoured For Work On Gender Equality
Laois Candidate Left "Disappointed" After Posters Go Missing
Garda Divisional HQ For Laois Offaly Won't Be Complete Until 2027