'This is a critical time': Seven deaths and 4,962 new Covid-19 cases in Ireland

Dr Tony Holohan.

There have been seven further deaths related to Covid-19, the Department of Health has reported.

There have also been 4,962 new cases of the virus.

There has been a total of 2,259 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland, while the total number of cases is now 101,887. 

Of today cases, 1,260 are in Dublin, 652 are in Limerick and 350 are in Cork. 

There are 321 cases in Louth, 238 in Meath and 2,141 spread across all remaining counties.

Of today's cases:

• 2,408 are men / 2,539 are women 
• 63% are under 45 years of age 
• The median age is 36 years old

The Chief Medical Officer has warned that health officials are seeing a "significant surge" in infection and that it "a critical time".

Dr Tony Holohan said: "We are seeing a really significant surge in infection, which is leading to a very rapid increase in both hospitalisations and admissions to critical care units. 

"This is not only unsustainable for the healthcare system, but also a deeply concerning level of preventable sickness and suffering that we must work together to address as quickly as possible.”

He added: "The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 has more than doubled from this day last week, and so has the number of people in ICU. 

"Remember that behind each hospital statistic and ICU figure is a real person like you, with a family who cares about them, and a team of healthcare workers dedicated to protecting their lives. 

"We must be as dedicated as we all were in the spring in our commitment to following the public health advice.   

'Stay at home'

Dr Holohan repeated a call for people to act as though they are infectious. 

"Stay at home. Work from home starting from tomorrow, and if you are an employer, ask your employees to work at home. What we all do at a collective level today will have a direct impact on the level of infection and hospitalisations in the weeks to come.

“Your safe actions now will protect our hospitals and those who work so hard in them. 

"Simply put: when you stay at home, you protect the frontline healthcare workers who have worked tirelessly to keep us all safe throughout this pandemic. 

"Hold firm and remember them.”

A statement from Nphet revealed that as of 2pm today, 685 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised. 62 are in ICU.

Earlier today, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said it has been contacted by “concerned frontline members across the country this weekend, pointing to a major increase in the number of patients presenting, along with high levels of staff out on Covid leave or for self-isolation”.

Citing Cork University Hospital, the union said more than 100 nurses are out for Covid reasons.

Management at CUH confirmed the figure, adding that the ICU at the hospital is “extremely busy”.

A statement added: In order to manage the situation, aside from emergency surgery, only time-critical elective cancer surgery has been scheduled for next week.  "Outpatient services are also greatly reduced next week. “