LATEST: One further death and 255 new cases of virus, restrictions to remain in place until April 2021

One more person has died after contracting the coronavirus as 255 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed this evening.

It brings the overall death toll as a result of the virus to 1,784. There are now 30,985 confirmed cases of Covid-19 across the country.

No new infections were recorded in Kilkenny, according to the latest daily briefing from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

The breakdown of the new cases is as follows: 156 in Dublin, 22 in Waterford, 13 in Donegal, 11 in Wicklow, 9 in Limerick, 8 in Kildare, 5 in Clare with the remaining 31 cases in Carlow, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Laois, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Offaly, Tipperary, Westmeath and Wexford.

The latest cases were confirmed as details of the Government’s medium term plan to deal with the virus emerged in reports today.

The ‘Living with Covid’ plan will be published on Tuesday, with ministers and officials still said to be finalising some details on the document this weekend.

According to reports, strict limits on household, indoor, outdoor and sporting events will still be in place until next April – even under the Government’s best-case scenario for living with Covid-19.

The Government’s plan is broken down into five different levels. Level five will be the most restrictive and similar to the lockdown in March and April. Level one will be the least restrictive, but still places limits on the numbers allowed in homes and at indoor and outdoor gatherings.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin today said the Government’s plan for living with Covid-19 will involve a reduction of social contacts at all levels, even in the home, as that is where the disease is most prevalent.

Speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics, Mr Martin said the priority is to keep schools and colleges open and everything would be done to achieve that, including prioriitising schools above sports and opening pubs.