'Our progress has stalled': Four further deaths and 429 new Covid-19 cases confirmed

Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer at the Department of Health during a briefing at the Department of Health in Dublin. 

There have been four further deaths related to Covid-19, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

The death toll in the Republic now stands at 2,010.

The HPSC has also been notified of 429 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Ireland is now 69,473. This figure reflects the denotification of 14 cases.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan has warned that the country has just two weeks to get back on track and drive down the numbers.

"In our objective to use a six-week period to drive down Covid-19 infection in the community, our progress has stalled in the last week.

"We now have two weeks to get back on track. Drive down the disease by limiting the number of daily contacts you have.

"Work from home, stay at home and follow public health advice to get us to a reproduction number below 0.5 by December 1."

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn cited staggering statistics coming out of Europe including that 29,000 new deaths were registered in Europe last week alone.

"Deaths associated with Covid-19 have increased by 18% in the European region over the past fortnight," said Dr Glynn.

That is one person dying every 17 seconds.

"We have made significant progress in Ireland over recent weeks, but the disease and its risks have not changed."

Chair of Nphet, Professor Philip Nolan, said that case numbers have stopped declining.

"For three weeks we saw case numbers declining at a rate of 5-7% per day and a reproduction number as low as 0.6.

"We are aware that case numbers have now stopped declining and as a consequence the reproduction number has increased to an estimated 0.7- 0.9."

Prof Nolan said that data strongly suggests that a small, recent increase in the level of social contacts has led to the increase in the reproduction number that we are seeing now.

"A small additional effort to reduce our contacts will make a big difference to reduce disease incidence before December 1."

The 14-day national incidence rate per 100,000 is at 116.5.

Donegal and Limerick are the only two counties reporting a 14-day incidence rate above 200 - 264.5 and 221.7 respectively.

Of the 429 cases reported today, 173 are located in Dublin.

Cork has the second highest number of cases with 44, followed by Donegal with 26, Louth with 22 and Kildare with 21. The remaining 143 cases are spread across the remaining 20 counties.

As of 2pm this afternoon, there are 290 patients with Covid-19 in hospital with 33 of these in ICU.

There have been 15 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

HSE Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry, said the pandemic has placed huge demands on healthcare workers.

"Their work now involves additional infection prevention and control measures which require constant vigilance and awareness.

The best way we all can show our appreciation for their work is by doing your part to reduce community transmission.

Today, a Government TD said that Ireland should move to level 2 of restrictions when the current lockdown ends until a vaccine for Covid-19 is introduced.

Fianna Fáil's Jim O'Callaghan told the Irish Examiner that such a move would allow the country to limit the spread of the virus while allowing people "some hope".

At level 2, according to guidelines, “the majority of areas of economy and society, for example, schools, restaurants, pubs and gyms, are open.” 

A Dáil debate on the ending of the level 5 restrictions will be held next Tuesday, ahead of a Government decision which is expected on Friday.

In the North, another 12 deaths were reported, according to the Department of Health.

Another 487 people have tested positive for Covid-19, the department's daily update showed.

A total of 3,401 cases have been diagnosed over the last seven days.

Stormont ministers have been told two weeks of further coronavirus restrictions are required before Christmas to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.

Health minister Robin Swann has warned colleagues if no new measures are introduced by the end of November even a full lockdown in mid-December would not be enough to prevent the health service being swamped by Covid-19 cases.