'Very concerning': Six deaths and 1,296 cases of Covid-19 confirmed

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan. said the vaccine's arrival is positive news. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

The Department of Health's Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan has described the 1,296 cases of coronavirus reported today as "very concerning". 

The CMO said that the levels of the virus circulating in the community in Ireland has now reached levels comparable with the peak of Covid-19's second wave. 

Today's 1,296 confirmed cases is the highest amount confirmed since the outbreak began and surpasses the previous peak on October 18 of 1,283 cases in the second wave. 

Speaking this afternoon as health officials confirmed six further Covid-related deaths, Dr Holohan said the arrival of the first shipment of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is positive news but the public needs to follow health guidelines. 

Dr Holohan said: “For the second day in a row we are reporting more than a thousand confirmed cases of Covid-19. 

"Within a few short weeks of easing measures at the beginning of December, we have now returned to the very high levels of Covid-19 circulating in the community that we have not seen since the peak of Wave Two of this disease. 

This is very concerning.

“While today is a positive day with the arrival of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, it does not mean that we can relax our adherence to public health measures.

We must continue to stay at home, avoid social contact where possible, avoid visiting friends and family and not have visitors to our homes. 

"Our adherence to public health advice will remain our best defence against this disease and help us protect our vulnerable loved ones from the effects of Covid-19.”

The total number of Covid-related deaths has now reached 2,200 since the outbreak of the pandemic began. 

There have been a total of 85,394 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the country. 

The latest figures from the Department of Health show there are 268 people in hospital with the virus and 22 Covid-19 patients receiving treatment in intensive care. 

There were three discharges from hospital in the last 24 hours. 

In Northern Ireland, 20 deaths related to Covid-19 over the past two days have been recorded.

There were an additional 998 positive cases in the same period.

It comes as non-essential shops, pubs and restaurants in Northern Ireland are shutting for six weeks, from today as part of new lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the virus.