Noel Baker: Covid-19 cases and deaths are rising, so why are we seeing some optimism?

The r-number is declining because people have "broken chains of transmission", according to Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, pictured with Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer at the HSE at Thursday's Covid-19 press conference. Picture: Colin Keegan

In the past week, two contrasting stories illustrated the very real perils of the coronavirus and its varying impact.

Josephine Silo contracted the virus in April. On Wednesday, at the Sacred Heart nursing home in Raheny in Dublin she blew out the candles on her birthday cake. She has just turned 104 and told the media: "I'm doing grand. It wasn't too bad."