Another four COVID-19 cases in Offaly

Some 28 more patients with COVID-19 have died, it has been confirmed.

At the daily news briefing tonight, the Department of Health confirmed the figures, which bring the overall death toll to 263.

Of the 28 deceased, 15 were female and 13 male. 22 of the people who died were from the east, 2 deaths were in the north west, 2 in the south and 2 in the west.

Locally, as of midnight on Tuesday, the most recent time for which county figures are available, there were four more cases in Westmeath, bringing the total to 81.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre also reported 500 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland, as at 1pm today.

There are now 6,574 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

Meanwhile, the National Public Health Emergency Team’s modelling data has revealed that Ireland’s effort to date has greatly reduced the transmission of the virus.

It said the growth rate has reduced from 33% daily in the early weeks of this outbreak, to 9% this week. The number of people, on average, that someone with COVID 19 is likely to infect was high at the beginning of the outbreak at 4.5. NPHET said this ‘R’ (reproduction) number had now reduced very significantly.

Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group (IEMAG) said; “When an R number increases by even a fraction above 1, the number of new cases per day will rise, slowly but inexorably.

“We are at a very delicate and critical point in our response to this pandemic.”

Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “The virus is still sustaining itself in our community. If we do not stay at home and practice physical distancing then we are not stopping the spread.

“It is crucial that each one of us take seriously the risks this virus poses, follows the guidelines and limit the opportunity for this virus to spread.

“We must follow the public health advice as closely as we possibly can so that we can limit the spread of the virus.

"Stay at home, practice physical distancing, practice hand hygiene, protect each other."

Dr. Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer, HSE said; “I would like to acknowledge the enormous efforts of healthcare workers caring for patients in hospitals and the community. The best way people can show support for them is by staying at home and observing the guidelines. This keeps everyone safe.”