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Another 307 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been notified to the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), it said Tuesday night.
This brings the total number of cases of the disease in the Republic to 30,080.
One more death was reported, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,778.
The latest figures were released a few hours after the Cabinet decided to reopen the “wet” pubs as of September 21, a move that has surprised public health experts.
“I am surprised by the decision as the number of cases is increasing and the medical director is warning people in Dublin and Limerick to be especially vigilant,” says Professor Ivan Perry, dean of the school of public health at University College Cork .
“I am also skeptical. Now is not the time to open pubs. Given the close contact, the noise, the indoor environment, the loss of inhibition with alcohol, the general uproar, these are ideal places for the virus to flourish.
Dr Tomas Ryan, from Trinity College Dublin’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology, said he could not understand the rationale for the government’s decision, “even if the number of cases is not currently increasing.”
“We are opening three things at the same time: schools, universities and now pubs, so it will be very difficult to untangle trends, to know what action caused what increase in cases.”
On Tuesday, Acting Medical Director Dr. Ronan Glynn again highlighted the growing number of cases in Dublin, with more than half of the latest cases recorded in the county.
He said: “182 of the current cases are in Dublin and at least 44 of them are associated with community transmission.
“I urge everyone to follow public health advice and stay away. Don’t underestimate the risks associated with any of your interactions, even with your family, friends, or coworkers. Now is not the time to lower your guard: assume that you or those you know can be contagious and act accordingly. “
Of the confirmed cases, 160 were men and 146 women, while 73% were registered in people under 45 years of age.
Around 64% of the cases are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case, while 72 cases have been identified as community transmission.
As for other counties, 25 cases occurred in Kildare, 19 in Limerick and 15 in Wexford and Louth.
Eight cases were reported from Wicklow, six from Galway, six from Clare, six from Kilkenny, and the remaining 25 from Cavan, Cork, Donegal, Kerry, Longford, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath.
The HSE said it was working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.
European data
Previously, figures from the European Center for Disease Control showed that the incidence of Covid-19 in Ireland had fallen below that of the United Kingdom.
The 14-day incidence of the virus in Ireland today stands at 33.8 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 34.7 the day before, according to the latest ECDC analysis.
Meanwhile, UK incidence figures rose to 35.2, from 32.3 on Monday.
ECDC data is slightly behind Irish data, which has risen in recent days.
Spain, the most affected country in Europe, continues to suffer a rebound in cases with incidence going from 240.6 to 255.9 in the space of one day.
In Ireland, four counties have an incidence of 57 to 60 cases per 100,000 inhabitants: Dublin, Kildare, Tipperary and Limerick, according to the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Center.
Within Dublin, the highest incidence is now in south-east Dublin, at 69.5.
Of 1,672 cases in the last fortnight, 55 were hospitalized. The only patient admitted to the ICU was a child under five years of age.
Meanwhile, there are 48 confirmed cases in hospitals, including six in intensive care units, according to the Health Service Executive.
The Irish Organization of Nurses and Midwives reported that 207 patients were admitted expecting beds this morning.
The Irish Medical Organization says there has been an increase in the number of children attending GPs to be evaluated for possible Covid-19.
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