New visitor restrictions in place for Dublin nursing homes from Sunday

File picture.

New visitor restrictions will be placed on nursing homes in Dublin from Sunday for three weeks.

The Department of Health has contacted service providers to inform them of the move.

It follows a meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) yesterday and concerns over the spread of Covid-19 in Dublin.

One nominated visitor per resident will be allowed from September 13.

CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland, Tadhg Daly, said they need to follow the guidance of the health experts.

Mr Daly said they are “very concerned about the significant increase” of community transmission.

He said the decision to restrict visitors was not taken lightly by Nphet of Nursing Homes Ireland.

It comes as one further death due to Covid-19 was been reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

They have also been notified of 211 new cases of coronavirus in Ireland.

The death toll from Covid-19 in Ireland now stands at 1,781 while the total number of cases is now 30,571.

Yesterday, Alone called on the public to reach out to the elderly people in their lives.

The charity that supports older people said it is concerned by the negative impact of loneliness on older people’s mental health since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold.