A FURTHER 12 people have died from Covid-19 in Ireland, the Department of Health confirmed this evening.

In a statement, it said that a further 76 cases of coronavirus have also been confirmed here, bringing the total number of cases to 24,391.

The death toll from Covid-19 in Ireland is 1,583.

It is now approaching a full week where the daily confirmed cases of coronavirus have been below 100. 

Ireland entered Phase One of re-opening its economy on Monday, and it won’t be known what effect that has had on the number of confirmed cases until late next week at the earliest. 

Leading this evening’s press briefing, deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said that there had been no more additional deaths in healthcare workers in the past week. So far, seven healthcare workers have died after being confirmed for Covid-19 in Ireland. 

Dr Glynn said: “We have experienced six consecutive days of under 100 new confirmed cases in Ireland. This is very positive and demonstrates the extent to which the public’s actions have limited the spread of this disease.”

Professor Philip Nolan, who chairs NPHET’s Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, told tonight’s briefing that all major indicators of the disease are “declining or stable”. 

He said the average number of new cases had decreased by 100 in the space of a week. 

“The number of hospital admissions a day remains low and stable,” he said. “The number of confirmed cases on intensive car is 52 on average.

The number of deaths confirmed each day – not including probable of suspected Covid – is further falling at an average of nine a day. 

Nolan said it was important to emphasise that these falling numbers had come amid the increased capacity for testing.

He said health authorities are positive they are testing the vast majority of symptomatic cases. 

Reiterating comments from Minister Harris earlier, he said the virus’ reproduction rate is between 0.45 and 0.63. 

“That number relates to events that happened 10-14 days ago,” he said. “If someone was symptomatic three or four days ago, we’re seeing their test now. And they probably picked it up a week before that.”

He said it’ll take a week or two to gauge the impact on reproduction rate given that restrictions had begun to lift this week. 

With reporting from Dominic McGrath at the Department of Health