Coronavirus: No New Deaths

Latest news updates for Sunday 21st June 2020.

Latest figures:

There have been no new deaths reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre today.

There have now been a total of 1,715 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

As of midnight Saturday 20 June the HPSC has been notified of 6 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 25,379* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community.

Three new cases have been confirmed in the midlands.

Laois has recorded a total of 264 with the virus, while 483 have tested positive in Offaly - an increase of one.

Westmeath has increased by two bringing the total to 672. 

Religious services:

The government is asking the National Public Health Emergency Team to reconsider the cap on the number of people attending religious services

It follows criticism from the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, who said as few as one per cent of people would be able to attend mass in some parishes.

Next Sunday will be the last Sunday when religious services won't be allowed at churches and other places of worship.

Up to now, the pandemic had limited them to opening for private prayer only.

From Monday the 29th, groups of up to fifty people will be allowed to gather for prayer.

That limit is due to rise to a hundred three weeks later, on the 20th of July.

But there's been criticism from the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin, who's called the measures "strange and disappointing".

He says with some churches large enough to hold 15-hundred in normal circumstances, they should be able to hold more than the current limits even with strict social distancing.

Now A government spokesman says "large churches can accommodate many more than 50 or 100" -- and it's asking officials NPHET to reconsider.

If you have any of these symptoms today:
-fever
-cough
-shortness of breath
-loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
It’s vital you call your GP Out of Hours weekend service and ask about a #coronavirus test.
https://t.co/XA3PAMrpi6 pic.twitter.com/qIkCHryJ26

— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) June 21, 2020

Spain:

Spain has reopened its border to international tourists after the end of its coronavirus lockdown.

Tourists account for 12 percent of the country's GDP with 80 million visitors a year.

Spain is one of the nations looking at an air bridge system with Ireland where travel agreements are put in place between countries with low transmission rates.

Rent:

Fianna Fáil says the new government would freeze rents and ban evictions until the end of October.

The party's housing spokesperson Darragh O'Brien says the measures would be extended for another 3 months beyond the current expiry date of July 20th.

He's told the Sunday Independent it would provide "certainty and stability" for renters in the short-term.

Despite health warnings, Donald Trump's held an election rally - defending his handling of the coronavirus crisis, and criticising anti-racism protests.

Turnout at the massive arena in Tulsa in Oklahoma was lower than had been predicted.

The US president told supporters that widespread testing for Covid-19 turns up too many positive cases.

A White House official later suggested Mr Trump was "obviously kidding" with that remark.US:

Australia:

The Australian state of Victoria has extended its state of emergency for four more weeks due to a spike in coronavirus infections.

Victoria reported 19 new infections today, the fifth day of double digit-rises. The spike includes an increase in community transmissions.

The new cases include an Australian rules football player, the first in the league to test positive, whose team and coaching staff have been told to isolate.

Brazil:

Brazil has recorded nearly 50,000 deaths from Covid-19 with a further 1,022 fatalities in the last 24 hours.

The country is the second worst hit in the world behind the US.

It also confirmed on Friday that its total coronavirus cases is now more than 1 million.

Frontline workers:

The public are being asked to step outside their homes tonight to sing or play the European anthem "Ode to Joy" to honour the work of frontline workers during the Covid-19 crisis.

Presidet Michael D Higgins will launch the event remotely from Aras an Uachtaran where he'll be accompanied by four musicians.

That will be followed by a concert at the National Concert Hall which people can tune into online at odetojoy.ie.... before going out to celebrate our healthworkers.

Organiser musician James Cavanagh said the beauty of it people could play or sing individually and it works just as well

Serbia:

Serbians go to polls today to elect a new parliament in Europe’s first national election since coronavirus lockdowns took effect.

The ruling conservatives are being tipped to win a comfortable majority.

Polling stations will be equipped with face masks and hand sanitisers for use by the country's electorate of almost 6.6 million.

Local figures:

There's a warning from the Chief Medical Officer that the "widespread community transmission" of Covid-19 we saw here in April could easily return.

Dr Tony Holohan was commenting on the release of the latest data on the pandemic here, as two more deaths were confirmed.

The latest figures from the National Public Health Emergency team saw the second-highest number of cases announced in one day so far this month.

22 more people have tested positive for covid-19, and two more people have died.

It means the death toll in the Republic stands at 1,715 -- while 25,374 people are now known to have been infected.

Commenting on the announcement, the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said there's "a very real risk" that the widespread transmission of the virus could come back again.

He said nine of the 22 cases confirmed yesterday involved patients under the age of 35 -- a reminder that "no-one should feel that this is a disease that does not affect them"..

None of the 22 cases are in the midlands.

Laois has recorded a total of 264 with the virus, while 482 have tested positive in Offaly. 

Westmeath has had 670 people diagnosed with the illness.