Ireland now 'in mitigation phase' as 13 deaths and record 1,718 new Covid-19 cases confirmed

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan: "Given the current levels of transmission in the community, every individual should consider themselves potentially infectious." File Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Thirteen 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 here to 2,226.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) is also reporting confirmed 1,718 new cases of the virus here - the highest total confirmed on one day since the pandemic began.

The total number of cases confirmed in Ireland now stands at 90,157.

Hospitalisations have continued to rise across the country, with 60 additional hospitalisations recorded in the last 24 hours.

In total, 455 patients are currently in hospital with the virus - 37 of whom are in intensive care units.

Of the cases notified today;

• 853 are men / 863 are women;
• 66% are under 45 years of age;
• The median age is 34 years old;
• 358 are located in Dublin; 
• 164 in Cork; 
• 155 in Louth;
• 150 in Donegal;
• 112 in Galway;
• and the remaining 779 cases are spread across all other counties. 

The national 14-day incidence rate of the virus is now 272.7 per 100,000 population.

Speaking at this evening’s briefing, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said the country was "no longer in a containment phase", but was "once again in a mitigation phase."

Given the current levels of transmission in the community, every individual should consider themselves potentially infectious.

“It is essential that we all limit our contacts to our own household now, restrict our movements and do not give Covid-19 any further opportunities to spread.

“Everyone needs to stay at home other than for essential work or care. This is not the time to be visiting other houses,” he said. 

Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said the reproduction or 'R' number of the virus remained "very high".

He said: “The reproduction number is currently estimated at 1.6 – 1.8. 

The growth rate is estimated to be 7-10% per day with a doubling time of 7-10 days.

“We must take action immediately to prevent an almost unimaginable scenario, where case numbers in 7 to 10 days time are twice what they are today. Stay home.”