There has been one further death from Coronavirus and 77 new cases confirmed by the Department of Health.
In a statement issued this evening, the Deprtment have said that there now 25,062 cases while 1,650 people have died from the disease.
Though the death rate has been under 10 for each of the past six days, the 77 new cases confirmed is the highest in a week and the fourth day in a row that there has been an increase.
Of the cases confirmed, the Department have outlined the following.
· 57% are female and 43% are male
· The median age of confirmed cases is 48 years
· 3,286 cases (13%) have been hospitalised
· Of those hospitalised, 408 cases have been admitted to ICU
· 7,968 cases are associated with healthcare workers
· Dublin has the highest number of cases at 12,052 (48% of all cases) followed by Cork with 1,514 cases (6%) and then Kildare with 1,417 cases (6%)
· Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 39%, close contact accounts for 58%, travel abroad accounts for 2%
Meanwhile, the Bishop of Limerick Brendan has suggested that confirmations and communions can go ahead in late summer.
Speaking from St John’s Cathedral in Limerick today he said: “My hope is that from late summer onwards we will be able in small groups to begin celebrating the sacrament of confirmation in parishes across the diocese.”
In the case of confirmation children, most will have left their primary schools by then by the diocese of Limerick are setting up a registration system which will facilitate arrangements in the various parishes.
