There has been no new Coronavirus deaths reported today – meaning 1,774 is the death toll in Ireland still.
While there has been a total of 92 new cases of Coronavirus have been diagnosed in Ireland today.
24 of these are in Dublin, 24 in Kildare, 8 in Limerick, 6 in Carlow, 6 in Kilkenny, 5 in Meath, 5 in Clare, and remaining 14 cases are in Cork, Donegal, Kerry, Laois, Louth, Monaghan, Offaly, Waterford and Wicklow.
Frustratingly, the Department of Health has not published the exact figure for Laois but presumably it is low again.
Given that 14 cases are spread between nine counties, Laois’s figure for today is unlikely to be higher than two.
Laois continues to perform well since the county was placed in lockdown on Friday August 7.
Since then we have recorded 5, 1, 12, 0, somewhere between 1 and 3 and 0 in the six days since.
That means there is now a total of 26,929 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “We expected that this week the daily figures we report would rise and fall.
“NPHET is closely monitoring all trends, patterns and changes in the data, including not just case numbers but locations, age groups, and sources of transmission.
“We are asking those in Kildare, Laois and Offaly to hold firm and stay with us in the measures introduced last weekend. As today’s figures show, cases are also occurring in several other counties around the country.
“This is still about a united, whole of country approach. The only way we can effectively suppress COVID-19 across Ireland in the long term is if we act together to protect each other.
“Living with COVID-19 has undoubtedly been difficult and this pandemic has adversely impacted on people in many different ways. We know that what the public health advice asks you to do can be difficult, but we are asking you to stay the course with it.
“Individual actions break the chains of transmission of this virus. Avoiding crowded places, limiting your social contacts, working from home where possible, not attending house parties, keeping 2m distance, washing your hands and wearing a face covering – all of these safe behaviours matter, and all of them add up to make a significant difference.”
Meat prices
Concerns have been raised around the potential impact on meat prices as a result of plans to test workers at processing plans for Covid-19.
Cormac Healy of Meat Industry Ireland said that if there are delays in getting test results, then that could impact on the prices paid to farmers.
He was appearing at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Covid-19, which has also heard concerns around what Sinn Fein said is an unacceptably low level of unannounced inspections.
Under plans announced by the Government earlier this week, six thousand workers at meat processing plants will be tested on a weekly basis for Covid- 19.
Cormac Healy told the Oireachtas Committee that the turnaround times for test results will have to be quick.
He said any delay in testing could lead to disruption of the production lines which would mean markets could not be supplied and that would impact prices.
Everyone should be aware of the risk factors for getting COVID-19:
- Distance – the risk of getting COVID-19 increases as the distance between you and others gets smaller. Keep 2 metres apart where possible
- Activity – How you spend time with people and what you do with them can increase your risk. Follow the government’s Stay Safe Guidelines when spending time with others
- Time – The more time you spend in close contact with other people can increase your risk of getting COVID-19. Keep track of who you spend time with and how
- Environment – Being outdoors is safer than being indoors. Where possible, meet with others outdoors. If this is not possible, keep windows and doors open when meeting others inside
- Symptoms – Know the symptoms. If you have them self-isolate and contact your GP immediately
Public Health Advice for all citizens available here:
Know the symptoms of COVID-19
- a fever (high temperature – 38 degrees Celsius or above)
- a cough – this can be any kind of cough, not just dry
- shortness of breath or breathing difficulties
- loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- flu like symptoms
SEE ALSO – Portlaoise Hospital worker tests positive for Covid-19
