Covid-19: No more than two households should meet as 470 more cases and one death are confirmed 

Nphet recommends that no more than two households should meet any given time. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Some 470 cases of Covid-19 and one further death were confirmed today, as new national restrictions to reduce social contacts have been introduced.

More than 37,000 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed and 1,801 deaths have occurred since the pandemic took hold in March.

The number of cases confirmed  yesterday marks the highest daily number of new cases since April, at the height of the pandemic, with more than 300 new cases being confirmed every day this week.

Of the cases confirmed, 68% were under 45 years of age and 40% of them were linked to outbreaks or close contacts of a confirmed case.

Dublin continues to see a high number of cases at 198, followed by: 61 in Cork; 36 in Donegal; 19 in Kildare and Limerick; 12 in Kerry; 11 in Galway and Meath; 10 in Roscommon; nine in Cavan, Clare, Kilkenny, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath; eight in Louth; and seven in Tipperary and Wexford. 

The remaining 17 cases were spread out across seven counties.

Rising infection rates fuelled speculation that further counties, including Cork, could join Dublin and Donegal to move to Level 3 restrictions this weekend.

Instead, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) recommended tighter restrictions on social contacts right across the country.

Under the new national restrictions, a maximum of six people from a single household can go to another house or meet socially.

Private homes have been identified as the greatest source of Covid-19 outbreaks, with more than 1,200 active clusters confirmed this week.

Acting chief medical officer, Department of Health, Dr Ronan Glynn, said it was vital that everyone limits their social interactions to stop the spread of the disease across households.

“The situation nationally is a matter of serious concern and NPHET is now recommending that no more than two households should meet at any given time,” he said.

“Behave as though you have the virus and keep yourself and those around you safe.

"Don’t take a risk by organising or attending gatherings with more than one other household,” he said.

Earlier on Friday, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said rising infections rates were “quite concerning” and were also impacting on hospitals, which had seen a 30% increase in the number of people admitted with Covid-19 over the past week.

On Friday there were 117 people in hospital, of which 21 were in intensive care with the virus.