CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Dr Tony Holohan has urged people to cancel holiday plans abroad after 24 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland were confirmed today. 

At a briefing at the Department of Health this evening, Dr Holohan advised against all non-essential travel over the coming weeks and months. 

Asked if people should cancel any holiday plans they have abroad, Dr Holohan said: “We’d like people not to travel, yes.”

“It makes much more sense to not go ahead with that booking and to risk travelling abroad, picking up this infection, risk for you, for any family member you be travelling with or indeed any close contacts you have,” he said. “I think that would be not just in your individual interest but in our collective interest.”

Dr Holohan said he is “genuinely very concerned” about Irish people taking holidays abroad and “reimporting infection back into this country.”

The Chief Medical Officer was speaking after health officials confirmed 24 new cases of coronavirus in Ireland, bringing the total number of cases here to 25,462, while the death toll from Covid-19 in Ireland is now 1,735.

“We are starting to see a worrying trend, with the number of reported cases increasing, and some new clusters,” Dr Holohan said this evening. 

He added that at least six of the new cases reported today were associated with international travel. 

“As restrictions are lifted and people move about more, it’s important that we use the tools that have helped us suppress the virus to date,” he said. 

At this evening’s briefing, health officials also said that, according to a new survey, 45% of people said they are now using face coverings with Dr Holohan saying this “doesn’t match with our experience”. 

Asked if the experience of Texas and Florida in the United States in recent days and the re-closing of public life will inform Ireland’s reopening over the summer, Dr Holohan said: “For the most part in Europe, the reopening of the country has been happening for the past 6-8 weeks… Europe hasn’t seen widespread resurgence as yet.”

Ireland moved into Phase Three today with hairdressers, some pubs and other facilities allowed reopen. Travel around the country is no longer restricted.

Speaking this evening, Dr Holohan urged caution moving ahead. Asked about people in Ireland who think Covid-19 is over he said “unfortunately, they are wrong”.