PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed 4,764 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland this afternoon.

As of 8am today, 598 hospital patients have Covid-19, including 126 who are in ICU.

Yesterday, 3,893 new cases were confirmed while 611 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, of whom 132 were in ICU. 

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) said yesterday that there had been 43 deaths notified to them in the past week, bringing Ireland’s total to 5,652.

Deaths related to Covid-19 are being announced on a weekly basis.

It does not necessarily mean all deaths confirmed on a particular day occurred in the past week, but rather that they had been notified in that week, as the system in Ireland allows a period of time for families to register the death of a relative.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that the “incidence of Covid-19 remains concerningly high, with 62,401 cases reported in the last 14 days”.

In a statement, the CMO said that “we need to continue to make every effort we can to drive down incidence of disease and break the chains of transmission”.

Covid-19 spreads when an infected person is in close proximity to other people. The best way we can stop Covid spreading to the people we meet is by meeting fewer people and avoiding crowds.

“If you are socialising, think about the risk associated with the activities you have planned. Remember the simple steps you can take to keep both you and the people you meet with safe:

• Wear a mask correctly
• Meet outside if possible
• Avoid poorly ventilated indoor spaces
• Practice good hand and respiratory hygiene
• Be mindful of your contacts in the days after socialising, and especially consider anyone you meet who may be immunocompromised or vulnerable to Covid-19.”

“If you experience symptoms isolate immediately and arrange a PCR test – not an antigen test,” he said.