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ACROSS THE COUNTRY, there were 522 outbreaks of Covid-19 last month with the majority of clusters originating from private households.
It brings the total number of outbreaks since the arrival of the pandemic to 4,957. Of these, 2,475 remain “open” according to the Health Protection and Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
For an outbreak to be considered “closed”, there must be 28 days from the last case diagnosed or becoming symptomatic.
An outbreak is defined by the HSE as either two or more confirmed cases of Covid-19 in a particular setting. Or it can also refer to two or more cases of illness with symptoms consistent with Covid-19 where at least one person is a confirmed case.
In the week to midnight on 10 October, there were 352 outbreaks in private households. During the pandemic to date, there have been 3,532 outbreaks in such settings.
New restrictions announced by government will see people advised not to visit other households for the next three weeks. Today, Minister Simon Harris referred to it as a potential “game changer” in reversing the rapid spread of the virus across the country.
The latest statistics also show 25 outbreaks in schools, bringing the total to 73.
The HPSC, however, stressed: “These outbreaks are outbreaks associated with school children +/or school staff. Transmission of Covid-19 within the school has not necessarily been established in these outbreaks.”
A further 11 outbreaks were identified in nursing homes, with a total of 40 open outbreaks in nursing homes in the country.
In the workplace, there were 23 outbreaks notified in the last week, including one in a meat processing plant and five in the construction industry. The number of open workplace outbreaks is 99.
Childcare facilities were linked to 15 outbreaks in the last week, while restaurants/cafes were linked to seven and pubs to four.
Among populations/settings identified as vulnerable, there were no cases last week in the Roma community, in Direct Provision Centres or in prisons. However, eight outbreaks were notified from among the Irish Traveller Community.
Last night, health officials confirmed 1,095 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland – the highest daily total recorded.
The message from these officials was clear.
Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said: “People must now make choices.
Stop meeting up in groups, stop socialising, stop organising play dates, parties and other social activities. People must recognise that the disease is a direct threat to themselves and their families. Now is the time for each of us to act.
Speaking later in the evening as Monaghan, Cavan and Donegal were moved to Level 4 of restrictions, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that more counties were likely to follow suit based on current trends.
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Freedom of speech is not absolute. It is exercised within the law, e.g. you do not have the freedom to defame someone, or lie to a court or commit a fraud. Similarly, you do not have freedom to incite hatred against others on the basis of their colour, ethnicity, religion or other grounds. Dieudonne is a shock-comic trading on ugly statements designed specifically to cause hatred of Jews, His recent comments attacking a well-known French journalist, who happens to be Jewish, and suggesting that he should be sent to an extermination camp and gassed put Dieudonne well across the line on hate-speech. Hence, the absolutely necessary action by the French Interior Minister, Vals.
Absolute bullshit Desmond. The state has no right to regulate the views of its people. What you describe suggests that freedom of speech is a privilege that the state can regulate any way it likes. No in my world thanks.
I concur you are speaking out of your backside Desmond.
@ Desmond – you are correct insofar as every right is limited. So why is it that no action is taken when comedians tell Irish, Traveler Christian, Muslim, Black jokes etc why oh why is it ONLY when the inferences may have included Jewish people do authorities act? Are we all not equal before the law or is it that Jewish people are more special than the rest of the human race? PS – This special position in the world coincidentaly is also what their religion dictates.
Tell a Mohammed joke and I dont think the problems you will have will be with the state.
@Alan … The core rule of thumb in democratic states is that I may exercise my freedoms to the extent that they do not imperil the freedoms of others. This is the conceptual basis on which all democratic rights conventions and laws operate, i.e. I may exercise my democratic rights within the law, not outside it. Hence, I cannot use my freedom of speech to damage another person’s reputation by defamation; I may not swear a false oath in a court of law; I may not falsely present myself or an offer as something that it is not and seek to profit thereby from fraud. Similarly, I may not use my freedom of speech to incite others to hate people because, for example, they’re a different nationality or religion to me. Hate speech inevitably results in harassment and intimidation of the the people who are objects of hate and thereby leads to violent assault and all too often to murder, including as we saw in the 1940s on an industrial scale. This is why democratic rights are exercised within the law and why democratic societies legislate against hate speech. The french government is absolutely right to seek to silence this hate-monger.
@”David Irving” … you are using an anonymous twitter account with no followers or followings. The only tweets are ones used to comment on J.ie. In addition, you are hiding behind the name of a person who has been exposed as a notorious holocaust-denier and anti-semite. As is typical for a racist, you hide your identity behind an anonymous account. You are a coward and a racist.
@Kevin … I’m sorry Kevin but it’s difficult to take your comment seriously. Why do you think we do not hear racist humour on TV? Why do you think that racist comics across Europe are routinely shunned? The “PC gone mad” brigade on J.ie would be aghast at your assertion that restrictions on hate-speech are confined to attacks on the Jewish community. Or is it that you have some particular problem when it comes to Jews?
Fraud, defamation & perjury are forbidden as they are either in themselves illegal acts or promote illegal acts. Incitement to hatred laws are ridiculous and an affront to freedom and democracy. Incitement to violence laws are understandable, and imho a necessary restriction on our freedoms as they promote illegal acts (violence being by and large an illegal act). However, I am free to hate whomever I choose, and need offer no justification to anyone for my hatred – to attempt to restrict this would be tantamount to attempting to restrict my freedom of conscience & would require something along the lines of Orwell’s thought police to enforce. So if hatred is legal & protected, how can incitement to hatred be deemed illegal? Ignorance & bigotry must be fought with education & reasoning, not attempts to fight violence with violence (state sanctions & restriction of liberties being a form of violence).
You can’t pic a choose when it comes to freedom of speech. I would advise you to look into the meaning of freedom. Idiotic fool.
Desmond, you seem to confuse your twisted logic somewhat.
In my experience, when one points out fraud and perjury in an Irish court, the judges appear to be incapable of understanding what is being said.
@Silent Majority … You can indeed hate anyone you wish and need offer no justification to anyone for your hatred. That is your inalienable right. You can even talk about your hatred and seek counselling for that psychosis should you wish. However, the law in this and most other democratic states prevents you from inciting that hatred in other people on certain specific grounds, such as colour, nationality and sexual orientation. The reason for this law is quite simple. If you are able to incite other people to hatred, then those haters will act criminally against those they have been incited to hate. The inevitable consequence of tolerating hate-speech is an escalating increase in hate-crimes … verbal abuse, discrmination, physical assault and even murder. This is why it is illegal.
“If you are able to incite other people to hatred, then those haters will act criminally against those they have been incited to hate” That’s an assumption, and more importantly is an assumption of guilt on an individual other than he who has allegedly committed a crime. For example, I hate a particular group of people for whatever reasons, I convey this hatred to others and offer my justifications for this hatred – you say this act should be illegal as it is inevitable that some or all of those to whom I have conveyed my hatred will act criminally against said group. Such assumptions are dangerous, and in many contexts, not just in relation to racial or ethnic issues.
And what if I don’t particularly hate any group, but there are certain groups whom I dislike, and again I convey these views to others – should incitement to dislike also be outlawed for fear that this dislike could potentially result in crimes against that community? It is not justice to assume guilt for offences not yet committed, and it is not the role of the state to dictate what views we may hold and what views we may share. Either you agree with freedom of expression for those with whom you disagree or you do not believe in freedom of expression at all.
Also, in relation to hate crimes – can you please differentiate a hate crime from a normal crime or indeed a love crime? Few crimes are not motivated by either greed or hate, so to offer special status to particular crimes due to the motivation for those crimes is discriminatory and the very notion of “hate crimes” is hypocritical, as such crimes can only exist so long as the state insists on differentiating people based on their colour, nationality or sexual orientation.
kevin i belive you summed it up perfectly !!! why is one race off limits but the rest is fair game ??
@ Desmond – you say “the law in this and most other democratic states prevents you from inciting that hatred in other people on certain specific grounds, such as colour, nationality and sexual orientation. The reason for this law is quite simple. If you are able to incite other people to hatred, then those haters will act criminally against those they have been incited to hate.” I accept what you is legally correct but it is a legal falsehood. If the law was properly applied as per the letter of the law then every Abrahamic religion i.e. Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá’í Faith amongst others would be banned as they all blatantly incite hatred in other people.
@ Margaret – Billy Connolly has no problem in this regard see link to clip below.
why is david irving a “holocaust denier” why isnt he just a historian with a different view ?? you say “exposed” like he tried to hide it,he wrote books about it FFS,i bet you havent bothered your self righteous hole to even read any of them?? now you can see my face and name so keep the coward comments to yourself and the racist ones,it a really child like argument to start name calling when someone disgress with you,you havent offered any counter argument just the generic “racist” and “anti-semite” (which is an incorrect term)
spot on silent majority,it cant just be freedom of speech if its as long as they consent to it,thats not freedom !!! the stupidity of it drives me mad and i think you hit the nail on the head with the hate crimes,a few years back when that young black child got killed or the two polish lads got stabbed to death the media went into a frenzy and it being racist and this that and the other but why cant it have just been murder (not being trivial about it or saying it wasnt disgusting) and punished and condemned accordingly in the normal way !!
What happened to freedom of speech?
Whatever made you think you had freedom of speech in the first place?
Well said Stephen, every race in the history of mankind has suffered in some way or other. Yet any time there is an alleged gesture of anti-semitism there is complete uproar. You’d never guess who runs the worlds media. Christians never went up in arms when not-so-funny jewish comedienne Sarah Silverman proclaimed if she had a chance to crucify Jesus Christ again then she would. Imagine what would happen to Frankie Boyle if people turned against him, people need to get over themselves!
Who runs the worlds media? White people?
Computers.
Yes I copied and pasted this but I think it proves my point that Jews run the media, apart from maybe Rupert Murdoch.
Gerald Levin, CEO and Director of AOL Time Warner
Michael Eisner, Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company
Edgar Bronfman, Sr., Chairman of Seagram Company Ltd
Edgar Bronfman, Jr, President and CEO of Seagram Company Ltd and head of Universal Studios
Sumner Redstone, Chairman and CEO of Viacom, Inc
Dennis Dammerman, Vice Chairman of General Electric
Peter Chernin, President and Co-COO of News Corporation Limited
Those seven Jewish men collectively control ABC, NBC, CBS, the Turner Broadcasting System, CNN, MTV, Universal Studios, MCA Records, Geffen Records, DGC Records, GRP Records, Rising Tide Records, Curb/Universal Records, and Interscope Records.
With every freedom comes responsibility.
What have you got against Jews, Brian? You a Jesus freak?
Americans running American companies. Shocking.
Try moving to North Korea, Saudi Arabia or Syria, then you’ll know what its like not to have free speech.
I’ve no doubt what you say is true, but then why don’t Jews in general and Israel in particular get better press? If Jews control the media, why isn’t Israel seen universally as an upright, utopian state, instead of reviled by the world’s mostly left wing media. There is a contradiction going on here.
Ssshhhhh..
Don’t be pointing out the obvious Margaret! ;-)
Black White RICH people with yellow and red people also. When you think about it, its a rainbow of sorts, like a pack of jellies……
The Jewish elites control Hollywood. Recent movies relating to Israel and Palastine all paint Israel as the poor innocent victims of everything. Media is one sided towords Israel and if someone points it out guess what? They are anti semitic and worse than Hitler etc…
Such as?
because margaret nothing is absolute,i dont think anyone has said that every single article or journalist is jewish and i think the claim is that its the people in power rather than the people who are pro-israeli and pro-zionist so stop being so simple,if you reallt think the jewish peopel get a hard time in the media then thats your opinion but in my eyes that makes you a complete fool.no other people get away with so much and have such a say for their actual numbers
The Holocaust is treated as religion by the media, however we never hear of one of the greatest mass murders of all time Lazar Kaganovich and the Ukrainian Holodomor..why?
Is he coming to ireland? I’d go see him now… all this has been good publicity.
Banning free speech, I’m shocked.
If a British comedian said ” isn’t it a pity that the spuds didn’t stay rotten for a few more years & all the Paddies died” or ” The only thing the British soldiers did wrong on Bloody Sunday was stop shooting” or ” the yanks should’ve just dropped a nuke on Afghanistan & wiped them all out” would that be funny?
This guy is simply a bigot trying to disguise his hate speech as comedy.
Sadly for many people in Europe anti-Jewish racism has become acceptable because ” the Jews control the media” ” the jews poisoned the wells” or some other conspiracy theory rubbish.
The really sad thing is that people pay money to listen to this bigot.
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of responsibility – he said what he said and this is the result of it. He seems like a bit of a whinger to me.
Thomas, that first joke needs better delivery and 2nd one isn’t bad. The third one also need better delivery.
You sir, are the journals number 1 bigot. You are good for a laugh though. But clownery through and through.
Moi?
poisoned the wells ??? you are talking pure nonsense now
As a person who what’s I’m talking about
Anti semitism is made up word to protect Zionists from people called out on their actions.
You’re a sad hate filled idiot.
Why is that?
Jewish people are carrying out holocost type acts on people of Palestine
But nobody can say anything or you are anti Semitic.
God help you!
Since 1948 when the State of Israel was recognised by the UN, Palestinian Arabs have increased in number from approx 800,000, to approx 7,000,000.
Either Israel is doing a terrible job of effecting a holocaust or you have your definition very wrong.
Every death that occurs is a death that could be avoided. Israel has one of the most powerful military machines in the world. Why would Hamas continue to antagonise it by firing rockets at its civilians unless they wanted a reaction?
Hamas deliberately and cynically engineers conflict as a way of diverting attention away from Syria and Iran. It fires missiles from within inhabited civilian areas specifically to invite retaliation that will cause casualties. Those casualties are then held up to the world as examples of Israeli aggression, and those who want to find fault with Israel are given a cause to promote.
If it’s a holocaust you want to talk about, lets talk about Syria. The pro-Palestinian “movement” seem to care little about the thousands killed there in inter- Islamic sectarian fighting. I suppose if it can’t be blamed on Israel then it’s not of interest. No flotillas, No petitions on Grafton Street, No Boycotts. Is it just not glamourise enough to get ye excited?
Israel is the rouge state.
Land grabbing and treating the people of Palestine like animals.
We then have Zionist hiding behind the holocost to do what ever that like.
A rouge state set up for two reasons
One to ease consciences after the holocost and two for America to have control if the Middle East.
Throughout history the Jewish people have been expelled from 109 countries.
Nobody ever asks why?
A “rouge” state. Are you sure?
@ TFM. Do you really think that regurgitating the same few paragraphs every time there is a comment related to Israel is actually HELPING your cause?
Would you not try actually discussing the issue??
By the way did you know that the Israeli embassy here in Ireland won an award for its campaign recruiting people to spam forums with propaganda?
Hi Margaret rogue is that ok ?
Rogue. Rouge means red. They’re not.
Exposing people to facts to refute lies isn’t regurgitating. Claiming Israel is committing genocide is a pure lie & need to be challenged.
No it’s not. It’s people like you that are involved in their large PR machine. We know what’s going on over there. We don’t need the Jew media to give us there spin. Anymore than BBC news reports on the occupied territories of northern Ireland.
thomas you are clown of biblical proportions,hamas is fighting for their country,their freedom,their people and way of life and you have the the cheek to say its only to deflect away form syria and iran ???? can you even hear yourself and also syria isnt a inter islamic sectarian war,it has religious overtones as most confllicts do have but it is the secular forces of assad against a coalition of secular rebels and islamic takfiri rebels and before you say it yes assad is of the awalite shiite sect but if that were all that were fighting on his side the war would be long over !! and as for your description of the conflict as a holocaust well that just shows your ignorance and is actually insulting to your beloved israeli friends
Ah for jesus sake…..this is ridiculous !! Jewish lobby has power over nearly every country on the planet not a shock to see a result like this…….disgraceful !!
Anti Zionist salute is same as anti nazi salute keep up the good work Anelka and Dieudonne
Smacks of the same “comedy as propaganda”widespread in Irish media and entertainment.
Yeah… He looks like a Nazi. If the jews don’t like somebody, they say he’s a nazi.
You can get away with “lies in joke” eg two thirds of priests are thick and the other third are mad for drink. Fr Ted series will we have an Imam Ted.?
I’m going shopping for Jew world war 2 memorabilia on eBay.
I’m pro Israel, pro Zionist and dislike people like Dieudonne but he should not be banned as I believe in freedom of speech
well martin as much as i detest your beliefs i must take my hat off to the last part of your comment !!
Ha thanks gerard, I’m pro two state solution to I hope both sides in Israel -Palestine conflict reach a permanent peace deal in the coming year or years for the sake of the future generations
Although this is completely off the topic of this story, for those who perpetuate the fallacy that the U.N created the state of Israel in 1948. Have a read of this very informative article.
http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2010/10/26/the-myth-of-the-u-n-creation-of-israel/view-all/
Learn rare kinds of pigeons
http://linkaty.us/2390
What does this have to do with sport?
There are some seriously uneducated or thick people around.
Is your second name Jewish?
Sweet Jesus what a effing question.
have your say