Harris hails latest report of zero deaths
SIMON Harris has welcomed the country’s latest Covid-19 announcement of zero deaths.
The Health Minister said the latest figure was a cause for hope and would re-energise people to stick with the coronavirus guidelines.
His comments came after the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) reported no new coronavirus-linked deaths in its daily update yesterday.
It is the third time since March that no deaths have been reported in a 24-hour period. The death toll in Ireland remains at 1,715.
There were six new confirmed cases of the virus yesterday, taking to 25,379 the total detected since the outbreak began in Ireland. Thanking medics and the wider public for their sacrifices, Mr Harris tweeted: ‘Today we have had no new deaths of Covid19 reported. Days like this are a cause for hope & reenergise us all to keep going & to follow closely public health advice.’
Meanwhile, the Government has asked the NPHET to review the guidance on number limitations for church services when they resume on June 29.
On Saturday, the Archbishop of Dublin described the 50-person limit as strange and disappointing.
Bishop Diarmuid Martin suggested that the size of congregation permitted should reflect the size of each church when places of worship are allowed reopen.
Churches were set to be subject to the Government’s revised restrictions on public gatherings that come into effect at the end of the month.
The limits, announced by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as part of the latest fast-tracking of Ireland’s exit plan, are set at 50 people indoors and 200 people outdoors.
On July 20, these limits will rise to 100 people indoors and 500 people outdoors. However, yesterday the
Government said that it had asked NPHET to look at the issue in respect of churches.
A Government spokesman said: ‘The Government will ask NPHET to give further consideration to the maximum number of people allowed to attend church and religious services.
‘The maximum attendance in any indoor space from June 29 will be 50 rising to 100 on July 20. The virus is known to spread when people are at close quarters in an enclosed space for a prolonged period of time.
‘Large churches, however, can accommodate many more than 50 or 100 people even with strict social distancing. Services last less than 90 minutes.’
NPHET asked to look at church numbers