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The new Covid-19 executive who arrived in Ireland from the UK is spreading faster than the most pessimistic forecasts, Prime Minister Michael Martin said today.
“As international research on the new mutation continues, it is already very clear that we are dealing with a strain of the disease that is spreading much, much faster,” Martin said during a televised speech announcing the tightening of public health restrictions for the next four weeks.
“It’s spreading at a rate that has outpaced the most pessimistic models we have,” Martin said.
He said Ireland will close all unnecessary retail stores starting tomorrow and extend the school holidays in a bid to stop the spread of the new Covid-19 executive.
The country had one of the lowest infection rates in Europe a few weeks ago, but its five-day average has tripled in the past two weeks to more than 1,200 cases a day, following relaxation measures before Christmas.
“The situation is extremely dire,” said the Irish prime minister, who hastened a one-day curfew to avoid the year-end holidays and extend school holidays by five days until January 11.
The country will remain at the highest level of restrictions for at least 1 month. Bars and restaurants will be closed and citizens will not be able to travel unnecessarily more than 5 km from their city.
Michael Martin noted that the outbreak appears to be different from previously recorded waves, with a shorter interval between the increase in infections and the increase in the number of imports.
Ireland today recorded a record 1,718 cases, bringing the total to 90,157. Thirteen deaths were reported with a total of 2,226 deaths.
Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
