Covid-19: 552 new cases and two further deaths confirmed

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) also confirmed 552 new cases of the coronavirus.

Two further deaths from Covid-19 have been confirmed this evening by the Department of Health.

The newest figures bring the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland to 1,915.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) also confirmed 552 new cases of the coronavirus.

The total number of cases since the outbreak began has now reached 62,002 confirmed cases.

The number of people in ICU is 47, while 330 people are in hospital.

Dublin reported the most cases today with 173 followed by Cork with 86.

A further 40 cases were confirmed in Limerick, 30 in Donegal and the remaining 223 cases are across all other counties.

Of the cases notified today, 275 are men and 275 are women.

63% are under 45 years of age, and the median age is 36 years old.

The HSE chief executive has said there are continued signs of encouragement in Ireland’s fight against Covid-19.

Paul Reid said the number of cases was reducing, and that the positivity rates and the number of close contacts were also declining.

But he added that hospital cases and the number of people in intensive care had not yet reduced.

He appealed to people to “keep our guard and resilience” in the coming weeks as the country aims to avoid the trend of rising cases in Europe and the UK.

Mr Reid made the comments on Sunday as England faced a second lockdown as it struggles to cope with rising infection rates.

Paul Reid said the number of cases was reducing, and that the positivity rates and the number of close contacts were also declining. Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland

In the North, there have been eight further Covid-19 deaths and 685 new cases of the virus in the past 24 hours.

It brings the total number of deaths in the region to 716, the Department of Health confirmed.

In the past seven days 5,145 individuals have tested positive for the virus.

There are now 361 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals, including 48 people with the virus in intensive care.

Meanwhile, the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) has called on the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Dublin Bus to provide dedicated hospital buses for HSE staff.

In a letter to transport chiefs, General Secretary of the NBRU, Dermot O'Leary, said transport workers are concerned that capacity issues have left frontline healthcare workers unable to reach their place of work on routes with high demand.

As a solution, the Union has proposed creating dedicated buses on these routes at "pinch point times for HSE/hospital staff only".