VIRUS: LOWEST SINCE MARCH
Lowestnew case numbers in two months Just 92 got Covid-19 ...but 15 more dead
The Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health said the figures “give hope” to everyone as the country moves to begin easing restrictions tomorrow.
There have been 92 newly confirmed cases of Covid-19, the Department of Health confirmed last night.
This brings the total number of people confirmed to have the virus to 24,048.
A further 15 people have died from Covid-19, the Department of Health also confirmed.
This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland to 1,533.
The latest data reveals that 57 per cent of those confirmed to have Covid-19 are female, while 42 per cent are male.
A total of 3,092 people with the virus – or 13 per cent – have been hospitalised.
Of these, 389 people have been admitted to an intensive care unit. A total of 7,530 healthcare workers have tested positive for the virus.
The median age of confirmed cases is 48 years.
Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer said measures taken to fight the spread of Covid-19 appear to be working.
He said “This is the first time we have seen the number of confirmed cases fall below 100 since midmarch. While the past nine weeks have been particularly difficult for those cocooning, and for parents with young children, today’s numbers give reassurance that we have all learned and adopted new behaviours of handwashing, respiratory etiquette and social distance that will serve us well as we work together to re-open retail, business and society.” The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with advice to prevent further spread.
Of those for whom transmission status is known, community transmission accounts for 60 per cent, close contact accounts for 37 per cent, travel abroad accounts for 3 per cent.
Meanwhile, Dr Cillian de Gascun, director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, said any impact from lifting restrictions tomorrow will not be seen for five to seven days. Speaking on RTE Radio
One’s Saturday with Cormac O headhra, Dr de Gascun said that thanks to public efforts, the health service has “some wiggle room”.
He said: “I don’t want to preempt decisions, there are likely to be increases [in Covid-19 cases] as people will be moving about more.
“But because people have done so well and cases have fallen, we have wriggle room.”
Meanwhile, the number of patients receiving treatment for Covid-19 in hospitals is still falling.
A total of 688 people were in hospitals across the country on Friday night with either confirmed or suspected cases of the virus.
There were 56 in intensive care with confirmed cases of the disease, and another 17 who were suspected of contracting it.
Total admissions to hospitals were down 8.5 per cent between Thursday and Friday morning.
The number of people who have died after being tested positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland has risen to 473 after a further four deaths were announced. The total primarily covers deaths in hospitals, so the true toll in the region will be larger, once fatalities registered in the community are factored in.
Another 40 positive cases of Covid-19 were also announced on Saturday, taking the total in the region since the outbreak began to 4,357.
15 The number of people who died yesterday in Ireland of Covid-19
This is the first time we have seen... cases fall DR TONY HOLOHAN ON LATEST COVID-19 STATS