HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed a further 25 people diagnosed with Covid-19 in Ireland have died.
At this evening’s media briefing, Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan also confirmed another 365 more cases of the virus in Ireland.
There are now a total of 6,074 confirmed cases in Ireland.
Thirteen of the deaths are located in the east, eight in the north, two in the south and two in the west. The median age of today’s death is 80, health officials said.
The statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) said it had analysed 5,981 cases so far.
Of these, 46% are men and 53% are women. There are 299 clusters involving 1,268 cases.
Other details include:
The National Public Health Emergency Team noted today’s guidance from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) that the risk of severe disease associated with COVID-19 in the EU and UK is considered moderate for the general population and very high for vulnerable groups.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) also advised that it is currently too early to start lifting community and physical distancing measures and that member states should continue to adopt a public health based approach of testing and contact tracing.
Dr Tony Holohan said: “Ireland continues to follow ECDC guidance with regards to testing, contact tracing and the implementation of community measures such as physical distancing and cocooning. This is the most effective way we have of slowing down the spread of this virus and saving lives.
“Our public health guidance is under constant review and the National Public Health Emergency Team will meet again on Friday morning to review the impact of ongoing measures.”
Dr. Ronan Glynn added: “The ECDC has said that the probability of continued spread of COVID-19 is very high. The risk of exceeding the capacity of the health system remains high even in countries like Ireland where significant public health restrictions have been put in place.
“It is for these reasons that we continue to ask people to stay at home and to follow public health advice. While we know these measures are difficult especially as we approach a sunny, bank holiday weekend, the efforts we are seeing from the public are having an impact and making a real difference.”
Health officials continue to urge people to stick with the recommendations to stay inside other than for essential purposes such as food shopping or daily exercise.
Last night Health Minister Simon Harris signed new regulations which will give gardaí the powers to enforce distancing measures over the Easter weekend.
There have been reports in recent days of some people travelling to their holiday homes ahead of the holiday period, despite the public health advice.
Today, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris warned that those who are currently in holiday homes across Ireland must remain there indefinitely and not return to their main homes.
With reporting by Garreth MacNamee
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say