LAST UPDATE | 30 May 2020

A garda checkpoint in sunny Phoenix Park. Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

IT IS 13 weeks since Ireland had its first confirmed case of Covid-19. 

The country has now recorded 24,929 confirmed cases and has sadly seen 1,651 deaths.

The global pandemic has now killed at 362,028 people, with most countries now grappling with how to reopen their societies after unprecedented measures to control the spread of the virus. 

Here are today’s Covid-19 main points:

IRELAND

• A further nine people with Covid-19 have died in Ireland with 59 new cases also confirmed. 
• People are being urged to keep record of who they meet to help contact tracers stop the spread of the coronavirus. 
• The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in intensive care units around the country has fallen to 42, according to the latest figures.
• The Children’s Ombudsman has said the notion of some children going back to school and others not doing so would amount to discrimination. 
• The HSE has said it is to begin field testing of the promised new contact tracing app in the coming week, before it is released to the public thereafter.
• President Michael D Higgins has said that consideration needs to be given to how frontline and essential workers are paid, their job security and working conditions.
• The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has called for an urgent inquiry into the infection rate of Covid-19 among healthcare workers. 

INTERNATIONAL

• The pandemic has killed at least 362,028 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally.
• A number of UK scientists have warned that it is ‘too soon to ease lockdown’ ahead of a ‘tempting’ warm weekend. 
• US President Donald Trump says he is breaking off ties with the World Health Organization.
• German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will not attend an in-person summit of G7 leaders in the US next month after Trump suggesting holding it in Camp David.