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PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed another 1,276 cases of Covid-19 in Ireland, bringing the total number of cases to 48,678.
The Health Department has reported eight additional deaths today, 5 of which occurred in October, 2 in September and 1 in June.
The total number of people who have died has reached 1,849.
Of the cases confirmed today, 644 are men and 631 are women.
The largest number of cases is in Dublin, where 278 cases have been confirmed.
149 cases have been reported in Cork, 108 in Meath, 107 in Galway, 80 in Wexford and 554 cases in the other 21 counties.
69% of new cases are among people under the age of 45, and the average age of people with a recently reported case of Covid-19 is 31.
As of 2 p.m. today, there are 260 Covid-19 patients in the hospital, with 30 in the ICU.
There have been 12 additional hospitalizations in the last 24 hours.
The 14-day national incidence rate is now 231.6 per 100,000.
The three coalition party leaders, along with the Ministers of Health, Finance and Public Expenditure, will meet tonight to discuss whether Ireland should adopt Level 5 restrictions following a recommendation from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
NPHET has issued a notice that the government is moving Ireland to Level 5 for the second time in two weeks.
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If NPHET advice is followed, Level 5 restrictions would last for a period of six weeks. Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan, along with Deputy Medical Director Dr. Ronan Glynn and Professor Philip Nolan, were called to government buildings to make a presentation to the ministers meeting today.
The cabinet should meet before a final decision is made to move to a new level, but there are no current plans for the cabinet to meet today.
Under Level 5 restrictions, most social activities would stop or be significantly limited.
In Northern Ireland, two deaths and 1,031 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed today.
Schools in Northern Ireland will close for the next two weeks in a bid to limit the spread of the virus, with pubs and restaurants closed for four weeks, except for take-out and delivery services.
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