NEW RESTRICTIONS AIMED at curbing the spread of Covid-19 in Donegal have kicked in.

The county has been upgraded to Level 3 of the Covid-19 scale, following a decision by the government and the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

The restrictions have been in place from midnight and will last for three weeks.

Under Level 3, people are being asked to stay in the county and only leave for essential purposes.

People are also asked to only have visitors from one other household in their home or garden, and to work from home unless absolutely necessary.

Indoor dining in pubs and restaurants is not be allowed, with only outdoor dining permitted to a maximum of 15 people.

However, unlike Dublin (which is also on Level 3), ‘wet’ pubs can remain open but with the same limit of a maximum of 15 people outdoors only.

The government is also allowing weddings in Donegal this weekend to proceed as originally planned with a limit of 50 guests. From Monday weddings can have a maximum of 25 guests only.

Organised indoor events and matches/events (with some exceptions) should also not take place, while museums and galleries are required to close.

It is hoped that increasing restrictions will stabilise the growth rate of Covid-19 in the county and eventually see it reduce to an extent that restrictions can be loosened again.

Data published by the Health Protection and Surveillance Centre (HPSC) in recent days shows that Donegal’s 14-day Covid-19 incidence rate is now the highest in the country.

Outbreaks are particularly bad in the Lifford and Stranorlar areas, acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said at a press conference on Thursday.

With reporting by Sean Murray.