Two more people have died from Covid-19
Two more people with Covid-19 have died, it has been announced.
And as of midnight Wednesday night, there have been 54 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
Of these, 24 are male and 29 are women with 67% of them being under-45 years old.
Some 27 of the new cases have been confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case
Eight of the new cases have been identified as community transmission
Most of them — 19 — are in Dublin, eight are in Kildare, five are in Tipperary, and the rest of the cases are in Carlow, Clare, Donegal, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Waterford, and Wexford.
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.
Dr Ronan Glynn, acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: “To save lives and suppress this virus we need everyone to reduce the number of people they meet over the next three weeks.
We have already shown what we can achieve by working together for the greater good. As we learn to live with this disease, we must continue to strike a balance between enjoying our lives and behaving in a way that protects one another. #HoldFirm 12/12
— Dr Ronan Glynn (@ronan_glynn) August 19, 2020
“A collective effort by households and by employers and organisations can make a huge impact on community transmission, and help to protect our families and communities from Covid-19.
“You can still play sport, go to a restaurant, and meet friends, but we are asking you to do this in as safe a way as possible.”
He urged people to “specifically focus on two numbers” — six and 15.
“Do not have more than 6 people over to your house and garden, and outside, no more than 15 people should meet up,” he said.
“And even then you should remain socially distanced from one another.”
Meanwhile, gardaí say the “vast majority” of licenced premises continue to comply with regulations.
They said there were 354 checkpoints conducted last weekend in Kildare, Laois and, Offaly.
From Friday, July 3 to Sunday, August 16, gardaí also conducted thousands of checks on licensed premises throughout the country under Operation Navigation to support public health guidelines.
From Tuesday, August 11 to Sunday, August 16, 13 potential breaches were found by gardaí and files will now be prepared for the DPP in each of these cases.
In all of those cases, gardaí found customers consuming alcohol, but no evidence of food also being consumed and no evidence of receipts to show that food had even been sold.
The cumulative total of potential breaches since Operation Navigation began is now 138.
Deputy Commissioner, Policing and Security, John Twomey said: "The continued high level of compliance among licensed premises is very welcome.
“However, there remains a minority who are putting their employees, their customers and their local community at risk of getting Covid-19.
"Now, more than ever, it is imperative we individually and collectively follow the public health advice."
