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The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) reported another 159 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday.
There have been two more deaths, NPHET said in its daily statement about the virus.
The Republic has seen a total of 30,730 cases of the virus reported so far and 1,783 deaths, including today’s figures.
From today’s cases:
- 70 are male / 89 are female
- 65% are under 45
- 51% confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case
- 23 cases have been identified as community transmission
- 75 in Dublin, 10 in Louth, 6 in Cork, 6 in Donegal, 6 in Meath, 5 in Laois, 5 in Wexford, and the remaining 46 cases are in Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim , Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Offaly, Roscommon, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath and Wicklow.
Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Medical Director of the Department of Health, said: “Forty-seven of the cases reported today are in the city and county of Dublin. For the people of Dublin in particular, this is a critical time to address the spread of the disease in the community.
“Individual decisions can make a difference: rethink your plans for the weekend, reduce the number of people you meet, and avoid social activities that involve large groups of people.
“Covid-19 is a highly infectious disease that can spread even when symptoms are not present. Remember, when meeting with friends, family and colleagues, staying 2 meters apart is the best way to keep everyone safe.”
In the north, a member of the East Belfast GAA club tested positive for Covid-19. You have suspended all additional activity until testing and contact tracing are complete. Another 104 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, the Health Department said with a total of 554 diagnosed in the past seven days.
Measures limiting social interaction between households amid rising Covid-19 infection rates in the Belfast council area will take effect on Monday.
Meanwhile, new data released by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDPC) on Saturday shows that Ireland now has a 14-day infection rate of 40.6 per 100,000 inhabitants. This compares with 31.6 a week ago. Ireland now has a higher rate of Covid-19 infection than European countries, including Italy (32.1) and Germany (21.1). The rate in the UK is 45.1, in the US it is 160.4 while the rate is lower in Canada (22.1) and Australia (4.4).
Earlier, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government will not be afraid to reimpose Covid-19 restrictions in Dublin if deemed necessary.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin imagined getting a Covid thermal check on the announcement in Clonakilty, west of Cork, that Global Shares company will create 150 jobs. Photograph: Daragh McSweeney / Provision
Martin held out the possibility that the restrictions recently imposed on Kildare, Laois, and Offaly could also be imposed on Dublin in response to rising Covid-19 numbers.
In his first substantive interview with the Irish-language media, broadcast on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on Saturday, Mr. Martin said the Government would not hesitate to implement specific restrictions for Dublin.
Currently, infections in Dublin are more than 100 per day and 1,055 cases have been reported in the capital in the last 14 days.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has warned that the number of cases will double in the capital in the next fortnight if steps are not taken to stop the spread of the virus.
Speaking in An tSeachtain le Máirín Ní Ghadhra in RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, said that the Government had learned from its actions in Kildare, Offaly and Laois.
In early August, in response to the increase in cases in all three counties, the Government ordered the closure of all cafes and restaurants in all three counties, except for take-out.
It restricted all out-of-county travel except for work and ordered the closure of all cinemas, theaters, casinos, gambling dens, bingo halls, gyms, leisure centers, swimming pools, exercise and dance studios.
The restrictions were lifted after two weeks in Laois and Offaly and three in Kildare.
NPHET has recommended to the Government that the number of families allowed in any home during visits to Dublin be reduced from three to two. She also urged caution about reopening pubs in Dublin as of September 21.
Mr. Martin told Raidió na Gaeltachta: “We will receive advice from Nphet on Tuesday and we will have to weigh his advice. The most important thing about Dublin is how to deal with the virus to reduce the number of cases and put pressure on the virus. We will not be afraid to implement measures specifically in Dublin, if that is the way forward.
“We did that in Kildare, Offaly and Laois. I know that some counties have a low number of cases, and I understand that argument, that there are differences and therefore the same restrictions should not apply.
“The new plan has flexibility from that side: we can assess the situation from county to county. The highest level of restrictions is to implement measures at the national level. “
The Taoiseach said that we all had to stick to the guidelines, but that the Government understood the need to also know the impact of the measures on mental health.
“We know from research that the situation with the virus has had a terrible impact on physical and mental health, and we need to focus on that.
“So we are considering the lifestyle of the people, and we are looking at it in terms of sport and culture, we have to make exceptions and personalized plans for those sectors in this country.”
Epidemiologist Professor Sam McConkey said that the large differences seen in infection rates in different parts of Dublin show that a general closure of the city would not be justified.
The public should be informed more about Covid-19 cases in their neighborhoods.
“Dublin has 1.5 million people. It is too large to be treated as one area, “said Professor McConkey,” This is a geographically heterogeneous disease, and there should be a heterogeneous response to it.
“There are big differences in different areas. We need strict restrictions and awareness in areas where there is a lot of transmission. In areas with less transmission we should have less panic ”.
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