PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed 299 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland this afternoon. 

The cases reported today bring the total number of cases in Ireland to 72,241.

Additionally, the Department of Health has reported that two more people have died with Covid-19, bringing the total number of Covid-19 deaths to 2,052.

The national 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 now stands at 92.3.

The 14-day incidence rate is highest in Donegal at 219.9 per 100,000, and is lowest in Leitrim at 21.8 per 100,000.

Of the cases notified today, 67% are among people under the age of 45, with 158 reported in men and 141 in women.

The median age of individuals with a positive case reported in today’s figures is 34.

94 of the cases are in Dublin, 41 in Donegal, 27 in Wicklow, 14 in Louth, 13 in Limerick and the remaining 110 cases are spread across 20 other counties.

As of 2pm today, 257 patients with Covid-19 are hospitalised, including 30 patients in ICU.

Seven additional hospitalisations of individuals with Covid-19 have been made in the last 24 hours.

Earlier today, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said that a Covid-19 vaccine should be available “quite soon”, but not until the new year.

Two of the vaccines that Ireland has signed up for – those from Pfizer-BioNTech and AstroZeneca – are looking for market authorisation within the coming weeks. 

Yesterday, there were seven deaths and 243 new cases of Coid-19 confirmed in Ireland.

As Ireland moves from Level Five to a modified Level Three, a range of restrictions and guidance is in place in a bid to limit the spread of the virus in the coming weeks.

 Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed on Friday night that shops, restaurants, gyms and some pubs will be allowed to reopen next week, and limited household visits will be permitted at Christmas.

From Tuesday, 1 December, retailers, hairdressers, gyms, libraries, galleries, cinemas, tennis courts and golf courses will reopen and religious services will be allowed to resume, but theatres are to remain closed.

Restaurants and pubs with a kitchen on-site are to be allowed reopen from Friday, 4 December, and hotels will be allowed to open to indoor diners.