LATEST: Kilkenny among 612 new cases of virus as six further deaths confirmed
A further six people have died after contracting the coronavirus as 612 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed this evening.
The overall death toll as a result of the virus now stands at 4,319. There have now been 219,592 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: 289 are in Dublin, 45 in Limerick, 34 in Longford, 33 in Galway, 26 in Kildare with the remaining 185 cases spread across 19 other counties, including five further infections in Kilkenny.
Commenting on today’s figures, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said: “Since the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Ireland last February, our lives have changed in ways we never thought possible.
“More than 6,300 people on our island have lost their lives with Covid-19. We remember them, and their families and friends, as well as the many people who remain seriously ill or who are dealing with long-term health issues because of this disease.
“The response of colleagues across all parts of our health system has been remarkable. We should be extraordinarily proud, and take great heart, from the dedication and resilience which has been – and continues to be – shown by everyone involved in this response.
“Almost all sectors and communities have experienced loss and have been tested in ways unimaginable to us this time last year. This pandemic and the public health response to it has had a profound impact on lives and livelihoods. But it has also demonstrated the best of us as a people, working together and buying in as a collective to what has been necessary to protect one another.
“Last Spring, we met the challenge presented to us with collective enthusiasm. Ironically, while that enthusiasm has understandably waned and gone, there are more concrete reasons for hope and optimism now than at any time over the last 12 months,” Dr Glynn added.
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