Avoid large gatherings and do not organise house parties, CMO warns
ACTING chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn has warned against large gatherings and house parties over the bank holiday weekend as 45 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed.
His warning comes as no further coronavirus-related deaths were recorded, according to the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).
There is now a total of 26,109 confirmed cases and a total of 1,763 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland.
Of the cases notified on Saturday, 23 are men and 22 are women.
More than three quarters of the cases (77pc) are under 45 years of age, while 50pc are aged 25-44 years.
Eighteen are associated with outbreaks or close contacts of a confirmed case, while 12 cases have been identified as community transmission.
The HSE said it is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.
Speaking after the latest numbers were revealed, Dr Glynn said over the last five days “we have seen an average of 44 cases a day”.
“This trend is clearly concerning and now is the time to ensure you and your families are making every effort to keep each other safe,” he added. He urged people to avoid large gatherings over the bank holiday weekend.
He said: “Ensure gatherings are kept to a minimum and invite no more than 10 others into your home.
“Do not organise or attend house parties.
“Restaurants must enforce a limit of 50 people (including staff ) on their premises at any one time.
“All workplaces should again review their procedures and protocols.
“Wash your hands regularly, carry hand sanitiser and wear a face covering where appropriate.
“Ensure you isolate immediately if you experience any flu-like symptoms.
“It is our individual action that will stop the spread,” he concluded on his Twitter feed.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly tweeted that “a significant proportion” of the 45 new cases announced yesterday were associated with existing outbreaks or clusters.
“Substantial screening of contacts was done. Thankfully, there were no deaths. Our response will remain measured and cautious,” he said.
On Friday, Nphet expressed concern that Ireland might be starting to see cases of the virus that cannot be linked to known outbreaks or close contacts.
More than 130 cases were reported in the previous three days.