Coronavirus: 765 New Cases Confirmed

News updates for Monday 28th December 2020.

Latest figures:

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 1 additional death related to COVID-19.

There has been a total of 2,205 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

As of midnight Sunday 27th December, the HPSC has been notified of 765 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 86,894 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

Of the cases notified today:

401 are men / 358 are women

70% are under 45 years of age

The median age is 33 years old

291 in Dublin, 63 in Cork, 59 in Monaghan, 49 in Louth, 43 in Meath. 

18 of the cases are in Westmeath with Laois reporting five new cases and Offaly has less than five new cases. 

Meanwhile, Offaly has the second lowest incidence rate in the country at 84. 

Westmeath's rate is 114 and it's 186 in Laois. 

As of 2pm today 359 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 30 are in ICU. 41 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours, with 5 additional admissions to ICU.

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said: “The data we are reporting today are lower than days up to 26 December. This however results from factors related to the time of the year, such as the lower rates of attendance and referrals and presentation for testing for several days over Christmas.

We look at many metrics when monitoring the disease severity of COVID-19. Today we are reporting that we have now exceeded the cumulative number of people hospitalised in this third wave than in the second. Hospitalisations have increased sharply in the last two days. This is a concerning trend which reflects the sharp increase incidence we saw in the last 10 days.

We are also seeing a steep rise in the positivity rates in community testing with a seven day average of over 9.2 percent up from 5.2 percent on 18th December. This indicates that the virus is increasing its foothold out in our communities. This is just one more reason why we are strongly advising everyone to stay safely at home to avoid transmitting or catching this virus, as it continues to circulate widely.

Please come forward for testing if you feel unwell. Know the symptoms of COVID-19, and do not delay in phoning your GP for advice. Self-isolate in your room if you have a cough, fever, shortness of breath or change in sense of taste/smell. If you are a household contact of a confirmed case, restrict your movements until your household member receives a negative test result.

In addition to staying at home except for essential reasons, these important individual actions will help to stop the exponential spread of COVID-19 in our communities and in turn protect the most vulnerable, our healthcare system and those who work on the frontlines.”

Today’s cases, 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population and new cases in last 14 days (as of midnight 27 December 2020) (incidence rate based on Census 2016 county population)

The 7-day incidence is 140.

The 5-day moving average is 949.

Vaccine:

The HSE will now start the Covid-19 vaccine drive tomorrow instead of Wednesday after criticism from the Medical Council.

Ireland has nearly ten thousand doses in cold storage, but the HSE says the staff who will give them haven't been trained in yet.

The Medical Council says it's "frustrating" that patients are still at risk when vaccines are "within arms reach".

Donegal GP Dr Denis McAuley says it's important people start getting the vaccine.

Meanwhile, most Irish people say they'll get the covid 19 vaccine.

71 per cent are in favour of getting the dose, in new RED C Research.

While nearly two in five of those surveyed say they'll definately get it.

Red C Chief Executive, Richard Colwell says certain groups want to get the vaccine more than others:

Retail:

The Tanaiste says keeping non-essential retail open is only making a small difference in Covid-19 case numbers.

Under new Level 5 restrictions announced earlier this week, retailers are allowed to continue trading.

Leo Varadkar says the Cabinet will review it at a meeting on Tuesday but shops aren't contributing to the high figures:

Local figures:

744 more people have tested positive for Covid-19 -- and the Chief Medical Officer's warning "a large increase" in infections is on the way in the days ahead.

Four more patients are confirmed to have died from the virus.

246 cases were in Dublin, 131 in Cork and 51 in Limerick -- with 40 in Wexford and 33 in Donegal, the counties with the highest infection rates by population.

17 new cases were confirmed in Westmeath, with less than five being reported in both Laois and Offaly.

The Chief Medical Officer says the 744 Covid-19 cases confirmed yesterday understate how serious the outbreak is in the Republic right now.

Dr Tony Holohan expects "a large increase in cases" in the days ahead following low levels of testing over Christmas.

He's urging people not to have visitors at home.

Four more patients have died, and 50 more people were taken to hospital on St Stephen's Day.

Infectious diseases specialist Professor Sam McConkey says if the virus has got into a family home this Christmas, the last thing to do is start the blame game: