1,714 people have now died from Coronavirus in Ireland – an increase of two from yesterday.
Not all of these people passed away today – this is the number that were reported to the Department of Health today.
While there has been a total of 13 new cases of Coronavirus have been diagnosed in Ireland today.
This is an increase on the total cases from yesterday and takes the overall total to 25,368.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “The importance of people exercising their own judgement and taking personal responsibility in protecting themselves and others cannot be overstated at this crucial point in the pandemic.
“Hand washing, physical distancing, cough/sneeze etiquette, face coverings and knowing the symptoms of COVID-19 – and what to immediately when experiencing symptoms – is how every individual can equip themselves to live safely as restrictions are eased.”
Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “Gov.ie/health and HSE.ie should continue to be the key sources of information on public health measures for COVID-19.
“Additionally, the new COVID-19 dashboard is a useful tool for anyone who wants to more about the disease in the community around them. Great progress has been made but the virus is still circulating and, as the World Health Organisation has said, the biggest threat now is complacency.”
Northern Ireland, the UK and globally
There was one new Coronavirus related death in Northern Ireland, leaving the total at 544.
There were also three new cases of Covid-19, bringing that total to 4,866.
The UK coronavirus death toll now stands at 42,461, a rise of 173 fatalities in the last 24 hours.
There are now a total 8,630,000 cases of Coronavirus globally. There have been more than 457,000 deaths while 4,567,000 have recovered.
New CSO Figures
New figures released by the Central Statistics Office shows that Laois is one of the best performing counties in Ireland in the fight against Coronavirus.
Since the start of June, Laois has recorded just four new cases of the disease and just 30 since the start of May.
This is the sixth week in a row that Laois has recorded fewer than 10 new cases as the county continues to work together to suppress the virus.
Aer Lingus to cut 500 jobs
Aer Lingus is to cut up to 500 jobs at the airline due to the “catastrophic” Covid-19 collapse in aviation. The company has notified the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection of the proposed collective redundancies.
They say: “The airline is currently operating less than 5% of normal schedule – and there is no certainty on restoration of services or future demand.
“The situation is exacerbated by uncertainty on how long the 14 day quarantine period and advisory against non-essential travel will continue.
“Ireland has failed to take steps that other European Member States have taken – they have progressively restored transport services and connectivity in response to a European Commission invitation to do so”.
Internet usage increased during March Covid-19 lockdown
New figures from the Central Statistics Office show the impact that Covid-19 pandemic restrictions had on people’s use of the internet in March, with more people reading news online and uploading self-created content.
The CSO said that 76% of internet users read or downloaded online news (including online news sites, newspapers or magazines) in March, up two percentage points on the corresponding figure for January.
Social networking, including use of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, also increased in March – rising to 68% from 66% in January.
Coronavirus present in Italy in December
The coronavirus was present in two large Italian cities in December, more than two months before the first case was detected, a national health institute study of waste water has found.
That suggests the virus appeared in Italy around the same time it was first reported in China.
Researchers discovered genetic traces of Sars-CoV-2 — as the virus is officially known — in samples of waste water collected in Milan and Turin at the end of last year, and Bologna in January, the ISS institute said in a statement seen by AFP on Friday.
Italy’s first known native case was discovered mid-February.
Important information
Symptoms of Covid-19 include:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fever
- Breathing difficulties.
Further resources:
- The HSE: Official advice on the coronavirus in Ireland. This is being updated based on the number of confirmed cases and how the virus spreads in Ireland.
- The Department of Foreign Affairs: Official advice on where to avoid travelling to. Also a resource for those who are abroad.
- The World Health Organization (WHO): The UN agency on global public health publishes statements and daily situation reports based on the latest data.
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC): The EU agency on the number of cases, deaths and how it’s spreading in Europe.
- The Johns Hopkins University map: A heat map of the confirmed cases across the world.
A helpline for older people who are concerned about the coronavirus has been launched by Alone. The number is 0818 222 024, and it’s open Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm.
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