PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed 416 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland this afternoon. 

The total number of cases of the virus in Ireland is now 61,456. 

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

It means the number of people in this country with coronavirus who have died now stands at 1,913.

Of today’s cases, 186 are men and 230 are women – with 64% of cases among people aged below 45. 

The median age of today’s cases is 34. 

Eighty-seven of today’s cases are in Dublin, with 62 in Cork, 41 in Mayo, 37 in Galway and the remaining 189 cases are spread across 20 other counties.

Yesterday, health officials said that the overall situation facing Ireland has improved but stressed that these were only early indications. 

This evening, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “We are making progress in suppressing the current rise of Covid-19.”

“Ireland is currently one of only four countries in the EU with a reduction in its 7-day incidence. Nationally, our reproductive number has reduced to about 1.0.”

“We are working collectively to achieve suppression, but it is too early to ease our efforts. The incidence is decreasing in young adults but it continues to rise in those aged over 75. We have more to do but we are on the right track,” he said. 

The latest 14-day incidence rate for Ireland is 268.7 per 100,000. 

Earlier today, 649 new cases of the virus were confirmed in Northern Ireland.