Derry GP Dr Nicola Duffy expects the number of Covid-19 patients needing hospital treatment will rise in the weeks ahead
There have been 891 confirmed cases in the Derry and Strabane Council area – 401 diagnosed in the past seven days.
The region’s number of cases per 100,000 people is now among UK’s highest.
“We are struggling to get the basic information across to people at the moment,” Dr Nicola Duffy said.
That includes information about handwashing and mask wearing, she said.
Dr Duffy has told the BBC: “There seems to be a narrative almost like a rebellious approach to government guidance.”
She said a rise in hospitalisations and of people “becoming extremely unwell” should be expected in the days ahead.
That can happen with some patients at “around day seven to day 10” following a positive test, Dr Duffy said.
“In terms of our behaviours, what we do now is going to impact what happens in the next two weeks,” she added.
The number of cases in the Derry and Strabane area has continued to rise sharply in recent days.
It now has 266 positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The rate across Northern Ireland is 90 cases per 100,000, according to Department of Health figures.
“We have to go back to basics and what we do know,” Dr Duffy said.
She added: “The virus doesn’t move, it is really very simple, we do. If you can minimise your movement, wash your hands and wear a mask, it will go a long way.”
On Tuesday, NI’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said the rise in Covid-19 cases in the north west was “quite concerning”.
He said “soft intelligence from a variety of sources” suggested social interactions are behind the spike.
“There have been some clusters associated with workplace environments but that has not been the major contributor here. It is basically the interaction between people around organised social events and interactions, some of those
in households,” he said.
Also on Tuesday Dr Tom Black, the chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) in NI, warned that complacency is driving the north west spike.
He urged the public to reconnect with the public health guidance.
“I am fairly confident that this community, who did it very well first time around, will do it again”.
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