LATEST: Kilkenny among 1,620 new cases of virus as 12 further deaths confirmed
A further 12 people have died after contracting the coronavirus as 1,620 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed this evening.
It brings the overall death toll as a result of the virus to 2,237. There has now been 91,170 confirmed cases of Covid-19 across the country, according to the latest daily briefing from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
The breakdown of the latest cases is as follows: 498 are in Dublin, 203 in Limerick, 89 in Galway, 73 in Cork, 67 in Mayo with the remaining 690 cases spread across all other counties, including 29 more infections in Kilkenny.
Commenting on the latest figures, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “We are once again in the mitigation stage of this pandemic. The alarming escalation in the incidence of the virus in the general population gives great cause for concern. This disease is now widespread in our communities and as a result we are asking everyone to behave as if they are a close contact.
“To support the testing system through this surge, we are no longer advising close contacts of confirmed cases to get tested. Testing and tracing is an exercise in containment and we are no longer in a containment phase. However, it is imperative that if you are a close contact of a confirmed case you restrict your movements and contact your GP immediately if you develop symptoms.
“The average number of contacts per case has risen from 2.5 in November to an average in recent days of 6.3. This is very far from where we need to be and I am appealing to everyone at every age to adhere to the mandated restrictions that the government has introduced – stay at home, except for essential reasons, other than for exercise up to 5km.”
PHOTO: Stock image
