Nine further Covid-19 deaths and 24 new cases - NPHET

Nine further people with Covid-19 have died, according to The Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

This now brings the total Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland to 1,678.

24 new confirmed cases of the virus were reported, as of midnight last night. There is now a total of 25,183 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

Speaking on the new figures, infectious disease expert Professor Sam McConkey says that national efforts need to continue to prevent more outbreaks of the virus.

"We've had outbreaks in residential facilities and some in meat factories, so clearly we need to change our working practices, how we live, how we socialise and take breaks in a workplace, have to change, in order to reduce the chances of an outbreak."

The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had, to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

Today’s data from the HPSC, as of midnight, Thursday 4 June (25,159 cases), reveals:

· 57% are female and 43% are male

· the median age of confirmed cases is 48 years

· 3,319 cases (13%) have been hospitalised

· Of those hospitalised, 410 cases have been admitted to ICU

· 8,059 cases are associated with healthcare workers

· Dublin has the highest number of cases at 12,127 (48% of all cases) followed by Cork with 1,528 cases (6%) and then Kildare with 1,423 cases (6%)

· Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 39%, close contact accounts for 59%, travel abroad accounts for 2%