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Covid-19 numbers have risen, with 764 new cases, and Senior Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan asked citizens if they need to “sacrifice” staying away from their elderly loved ones this Christmas to save lives.
More people have died in connection with Covid-19, bringing the death toll to 2,158.
The number of cases has skyrocketed in recent days and today’s numbers, including four new deaths, saw Dr. Holohan casting a moral question to the country.
“If you’ve been socializing in the last few weeks or this weekend, consider your Christmas plans carefully,” he said.
“Is it responsible to meet with your family over 65 at the end of this week, if you have not kept your contacts low?
“Should you cancel your plans? We have the very real prospect of Covid-19 vaccines on the horizon.
“Make sure your loved ones are still alive to receive them, keeping your distance from them if you have not restricted your movements until now.
“As difficult as it may sound, staying away from the older family this Christmas will protect them, and it would be an exceptional sacrifice made for the common good.”
Dr Holohan added: “All indicators of disease severity are moving in the wrong direction, faster than we had anticipated.
“We have particularly strong concerns about the possibility of intergenerational mixing during the holiday season.”
He explained that as of December 11, the seven-day incidence rate for people between 19 and 44 years old was 106 per 100,000 inhabitants.
By Saturday, this rate had more than doubled to 217 per 100,000.
“If these younger people come into contact with loved ones over 65, we could see an increase in infections in this most vulnerable group,” said Dr. Holohan.
“This would lead to a very serious pattern of illness, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and unnecessary deaths.”
There were 284 cases in Dublin, 70 in Limerick, 52 in Donegal, 44 in Cork, 37 in Wexford and the remaining 277 cases are distributed in another 20 counties.
The median age is 34 years, 67 percent are under 45, 403 are men and 355 are women.
At 2:00 p.m. Sunday, 233 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized and 29 of them are in intensive care units. Another 15 hospitalizations occurred in the last 24 hours.
There have been a total of 2,158 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland. There are now a total of 79,542 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
The incidence rate of 14 days per 100,000 per population shows that the rate for Ireland is 112.2.
Donegal has the highest incidence rate in 14 days at 263.8, while Louth is the second highest and has recorded a rate of 235.1.
Kilkenny is the third highest rate with a 14-day incidence of 197.5, while Dublin is in 10th with a rate of 124.8.
The lowest incidence rate in the country is Leitrim, with 25.0.
Online editors
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