Covid-19: 330 confirmed cases and eight new deaths

Cork recorded 28 new cases of COvid-19 today. Picture; David Creedon / Anzenberger

330 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Ireland today by the Department of Health. 

This brings the total number of cases of the virus in the country since the outbreak began to 69,802. 

Eight further deaths from the coronavirus were also confirmed bringing the death toll from Covid-19 to 2,018. 

283 patients are currently in hospital receiving treatment for the virus and 33 people are in intensive care. 

Over the last 24 hours, 13 people were admitted to hospital. 

From today's case data released by the Department of Health: 

• 171 cases confirmed are men and 155 are women 
• 64% of cases are under 45 years of age 
• The median age of confirmed Covid-19 cases is 37 years old. 

Dublin reported the most cases today with 99, followed by Cork with 28, 26 in Louth, 25 in Meath, 21 in Donegal, and the remaining 131 cases spread across 20 other counties.

The latest case figures comes as new data shows Covid-19 infection rates have increased in 46 local areas over the past week, despite the country being in lockdown.

After the country moved to level 5 restrictions on October 21, infection rates were falling rapidly until last week, prompting appeals from public health officials this week for people to redouble their efforts for the final two weeks of lockdown.

New 14-day infection rates show Covid-19 rates are continuing to rise in Donegal, where Letterkenny and Buncrana both have a rate above 380 cases per 100,000 population — the highest rates in the country — while the Milford area has also seen a significant increase, from an infection rate of 196.1 cases per 100,000 population to 328 cases per 100,000 population, over the course of a week.

Meanwhile, the Taoiseach and senior Ministers met with the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris this afternoon to discuss tighter enforcement of Covid-19 regulations.

The government has decided not to bring in any further legislation after hundreds of people were filmed drinking on the street in Cork and Dublin last weekend.

Instead, the gardaí have been asked for greater enforcement of the current laws around public drinking. Today Garda Commissioner Drew Harris briefed Micheál Martin and Ministers Helen McEntee and Stephen Donnelly about the high levels of public enforcement to date.

The meeting also discussed what issues there might be around enforcement as the country moves out of level five restrictions next month. 

Ahead of the festive period, attention has also turned to the measures to be introduced over Christmas. 

Families could be allowed to gather for one day over the Christmas period under plans being considered by the Government.

The plan would see inter-county travel bans lifted for the days around December 25 to allow visits, but government sources stress it would not "be a free for all".

"If it goes ahead, people would be asked to limit themselves to a reasonable number of close contacts, and even then, distancing and ventilation would be important."

Government ministers are keen for next week's announcement on the end of the six-week lockdown period to "give people a bit of hope" and an allowance of one large gathering over Christmas is seen by some as that offering.

"We have to give people hope," said one minister.