[ad_1]
The Health Department has confirmed 970 more cases of Covid-19 and 13 more deaths.
The number of people in the ICU is 28, 1 less than yesterday.
As of 2:00 p.m. today, 238 Covid-19 patients are hospitalized.
Of the current cases, 470 are men and 494 are women and 64% are under 45 years of age.
The average age is 37 years.
348 people tested positive in Dublin, 60 in Limerick, 59 in Cork, 59 in Wexford, 55 in Louth and the remaining 389 cases are spread across 20 other counties.
Commenting on today’s figures, Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, said, “The current trajectory of the disease in the community is of great concern.
“In the last seven days to midnight on Monday, we have reported 4,478 cases, an increase of more than 110% over the previous week.”
Dr. Holohan said: “In the last 5 days, we have seen an extraordinary growth in the incidence of the virus across the country, significantly increasing the level of risk associated with the kind of intergenerational mixing that is normally experienced during the Christmas holidays. .
He added: “It is up to each of us to rethink our plans for this Christmas period, especially when it comes to visiting elderly or medically vulnerable family and friends.”
Read more:
New level 5 as the government works assuming there is a new Covid-19 strain here
At a glance: What do the new restrictions include for Christmas?
First vaccines to be given on December 30 – Donnelly
Travel ban from Great Britain extended until December 31
The latest spike in daily figures comes when the country will return to Level 5 restrictions with adjustments between December 24 and January 12.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the move was in response to the extraordinary increase in Covid-19 cases, with a daily growth rate of 10% that is “simply not sustainable.”
Speaking in government buildings, he said that while there is no evidence yet that the most virulent strain of the coronavirus is here, “the safest and most responsible thing to do is to proceed assuming it is already here.”
The cabinet agreed that people can travel beyond their county until the end of St. Stephen’s Day, Dec. 26.
The changes will allow people after December 26 to stay where they are now and travel back to their own home later. However, no new inter-county travel will be allowed after that date.
Home visits will be reduced to another home as of December 27.
Gourmet restaurants and pubs must close at 3pm on Christmas Eve.
The Cabinet also agreed that Britain’s travel restrictions to Ireland will remain in effect until December 31.
Initially, the ban was imposed for 48 hours to guard against the emergence of a more contagious form of coronavirus in south-east England.
The ban was supposed to expire at midnight tonight, but it has now been extended.
The HSE has issued advice for anyone who has traveled from England, Scotland and Wales since December 8:
– You must isolate yourself for a period of 14 days from the date of arrival in Ireland.
– You should arrange a Covid test as soon as possible 5 days after your arrival in Ireland.
– If you develop any Covid symptoms at any stage, call your GP and advise him of your recent trip from Great Britain.
– If your test results are “undetected virus”, continue to isolate yourself for the 14-day period as you may still be developing symptoms and must protect others from potential risks.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland has reported 16 more deaths from coronavirus, 12 occurring in the past 24 hours, bringing the official figure to 1,219.
There were also 439 new test cases on 2,764 people.
The number of confirmed Covid-19 patients in the hospital is 447 with 30 in the ICU, 23 of whom are connected to ventilators.
[ad_2]