Leinster counties urged to 'double down' on Covid-19 prevention

Perception that virus is Dublin-centred is wrong, said Dr Ronan Glynn

Acting chief medical office  Ronan Glynn, said that, over the past two weeks, 226 cases have arisen in the three Leinster counties, almost half of all cases in Ireland in that time.

GPs in the three counties have been written to in order to highlight concerns, Dr Glynn said.

"We are now advising that everyone in Kildare, Laois and Offaly needs to pay particular attention to any new symptoms they make have such as cough, fever, shortness of breath or loss of sense of taste or smell," he said.

People in the region should now double down on basic public health behaviour such as avoiding crowded spaces and keeping two metres from others, he added.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre was told on Thursday that five patients died and 69 confirmed cases. However, four of those deaths were in previous months and only now being added.

While clusters of cases were prominent rather than wider community infections, Department of Health doctors told the health briefing, that did not mean people were safe from contracting the "lethal" disease.

People have to be "exceptionally careful", said the chairman of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group of National Public Health Emergency Team, Philip Nolan.

The reproduction figure - which indicates the average number of people that those infected will pass on - is near 2, Dr Nolan said.

There was "no excuse" for Ireland to go back to where it was at the peak of the pandemic, he said, urging people to avoid house parties.

"A reproduction number of almost 2 is a serious concern, and although we have not yet seen a significant increase in community transmission, there is a significant risk this could develop over the coming days and weeks, emphasising the need for each of us to be extremely cautious that we do not contribute to the transmission of the virus," he said.

A house party was the "perfect way" to spread the disease in the community and subsequently onto vulnerable people,  said Dr Nolan, and restraint was really needed right now.

Dr Glynn said  there was a perception before that Covid-19 was a Dublin-centred disease but this was not correct. Everyone needed to stay the course now, he added.