PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed 866 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland this afternoon, bringing the total number of cases to 60,297.

Additionally, the Department of Health has confirmed that six more people have died with the virus.

The total number of people who have died with Covid-19 in Ireland now stands at 1,902.

Of the cases notified today:

• 428 are men and 438 are women
• 63% are under 45 years of age
• The median age is 35 years old
• 242 in Dublin, 166 in Cork, 56 in Donegal, 54 in Galway, 44 in Meath and the remaining 304 cases are spread across another 20 counties.

As of 2pm today, 328 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 43 are in ICU. There have been 15 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

In terms of testing, over 103,000 tests have been completed in the past seven days, and 15,315 have been carried out in the past 24 hours. The positivity rate for the last seven days is 5.4%, compared to a total positivity rate of 4%.

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Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “It is vitally important that if you are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 that you self-isolate and phone your GP for further advice.”

“Self-isolate means stay in your room and avoid contact with other members of your household. Doing this will protect those you live with by interrupting the chain of transmission.”

Earlier this week, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that health officials were not expected to need to advise the government to keep schools closed beyond the mid-term break.

Additionally, Holohan said that social mixing during Halloween would not be possible this year, and that normal celebrations that involve people from different households meeting should not go ahead.

Holohan said that the public must be aware of “the actions they should take if they have symptoms or are awaiting a test or if they are a contact of a confirmed case”.

“If you have symptoms of Covid-19, you must self isolate and phone your GP for further advice,” Holohan said.

“If you have been referred for a test or are awaiting a test result, you must self isolate,” he said.

“If you are a confirmed case of Covid-19 you must self isolate for 10 days.

“If you are identified or have identified yourself as a close contact of a confirmed case, you must restrict your movements.” 

Yesterday, six deaths and 675 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Ireland, 65% of whom were under the age of 45.

Earlier today, 822 new cases and eight deaths were confirmed in Northern Ireland.

With reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha