LATEST: Kilkenny among 545 new cases of virus as four further deaths confirmed
A further three people have died after contracting the coronavirus as 545 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed this evening.
The overall death toll as a result of the virus has now reached 4,903. There have now been 248,870 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: 264 in Dublin, 58 in Kildare, 50 in Cork, 29 in Donegal, 28 in Galway and the remaining 116 cases are spread across 21 other counties. Less than five new cases of the virus were again recorded in Kilkenny.
Commenting on today’s figures, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “The easing of restrictions is a welcome and deserved turning point in our collective efforts to get through this pandemic. It is a step closer towards the shared national goal of suppressing Covid-19 and protecting the vulnerable.
“However, incidence around the country varies. Some areas are in a more precarious position than others. For example, while the national incidence rate is 125 per 100,000, Donegal currently stands at 295 per 100,000. This is extremely concerning for public health doctors locally.
“We are calling on community leaders in areas such as Donegal, where the virus is still circulating at dangerous levels, to encourage the people there to stick with the public health measures, especially if they are vulnerable or have yet to be vaccinated,” Dr Holohan concluded.
