Coronavirus: 6 More People Have Died

Latest news updates on Friday 29th May.

Figures:

A further 6 people with Covid 19 have died in the Republic, and there are 39  new confirmed cases.

The death toll stands at 1,645 and the total number of cases is 24,876

Westmeath has seen two new case confirmed this evening,  667 people have been confirmed to have coronavirus there. 

Offaly for the second day in a row there has been no further cases, the total remains 478.

Laois is now five days without a case, 258 people have contracted Covid-19 there. 

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been informed that a total of 6 people with COVID-19 have died.
There have now been a total 1,645 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

As of midnight Thursday 28th May the HPSC has been notified of 39 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 24,876 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.

Today’s data from the HPSC, as of midnight, Wednesday 27 May (24,837 cases), reveals:
·        57% are female and 43% are male
·        the median age of confirmed cases is 48 years
·        3,270 cases (13%) have been hospitalised
·        Of those hospitalised, 404 cases have been admitted to ICU
·        7,943 cases are associated with healthcare workers
·        Dublin has the highest number of cases at 12,023 (48% of all cases) followed by Cork with 1,464 cases (6%) and then Kildare with 1,416 cases (6%)
·        Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 40%, close contact accounts for 58%, travel abroad accounts for 2%

Credit union:

Some credit unions are in danger of closure because of a collapse in lending. 

Some small credit unions have already been forced to lay off staff. 

Applications for loans are down 80 per cent compared to last year, according to the Irish League of Credit Unions. 

President Gerry Thompson says people are reluctant to borrow because of the Covid-19 pandemic:

Thank you to all on the kind words on last nights ceremony.We have wonderful students and parents and teachers .Glad so many enjoyed the live stream.Strange times but enjoy what we can @westmeathindo @Midlands103 @rinanfafan pic.twitter.com/3TIKWEQoRJ

— Athlone C.C. (@CCAthlone) May 29, 2020

Public service pay-rise:

The Finance Minister has confirmed public sector workers will get a planned pay rise in October.

Unions have been campaigning for the increase to go ahead despite the predicted 30 billion euro hole in the state's finances due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the final stage of the pay deal, around 330,000 public sector workers, including nurses, gardaí and teachers, along with council staff, are due to get the 2 per cent hike in pay.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe says some of these workers have been on the frontline during the current crisis:

Schools:

The Labour Party says the Minister for Education needs to start hiring staff and building prefabs to get schools ready to open if social distancing is still in force in September. 

A roadmap for reopening schools is due to be published next month, but Joe McHugh says it's hard to see all students back at their desks if they have to keep two metres apart. 

Labour senator Rebecca Moynihan says everything that can be done to get schools open again should be done. 

She says immediate action is needed from the Department of Education:

Children may need to spend an extra year in school to catch up. 

That's the view of the Children's Rights Alliance, which wants to see some primary school students return in June.

The Education Minister yesterday cast doubts on schools being able to return as normal in September. 

Chief executive of the Children's Rights Alliance, Tanya Ward, says an additional year in education may be necessary. 

The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals says it's important decisions about the reopening of schools are made without delay - so teachers can start planning for the next academic year. 

The Department of Education will publish a roadmap for schools in two weeks' time. 

Yesterday, the INTO said it's not physically possible for children to return to schools in September under the two metre social distancing rule.

The President of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, Alan Mongey, says blended and remote learning will require planning and guidance:

It’s been a long few months! This made me smile. Got the voice right but the hair is missing the grey......give it a few more weeks.l! 😉 Stay well everyone #Covid19 https://t.co/SV5MfJngEF

— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 29, 2020

Flu-like symptoms:

Less than half of people know to self-isolate if they have flu-like symptoms, according to research from the ESRI.

The study was carried out last month, with 88 per cent saying they would quarantine if they had a fever or dry cough.

The think-tank, along with the Department of Health, has developed a new way for people to know when they should self-isolating by following a flow chart.

Pete Lunn from the ESRI outlines the findings of the report:

Domestic abuse:

There's been an increase of nearly two fifths in the number of calls to the Women's Aid helpline since the lockdown started. 

The charity says the women its heard from feel trapped in their homes with abusive or violent partners. 

Restrictions on travel and work have also increased the mental strain of abuse. 

Sarah Benson, chief executive of Women's Aid, says the levels of physical, sexual, and financial abuse being reported are a concern:

Childcare:

Proposals for the re-opening of creches across the country on June 29th will be discussed by the Cabinet today.

Early Childhood Ireland says funding is badly needed to help providers get their businesses back operating.

Earlier this month, the government was forced to cancel a proposal for childcare for healthcare workers due to a lack of up-take from providers.

Frances Byrne from Early Childhood Ireland outlines some of the industry's concerns:

Bank holiday weekend:

The Chief Medical Officer says we still need to be cautious in the fight against Covid 19 heading into the bank holiday weekend.

Health officials say the pattern of the disease is stable and heading in the right direction.

A further nine people with Covid 19 have died, bringing the death toll to 1,639, and there are 46 new confirmed cases.

The number of confirmed cases in the midlands remains unchanged at 1,401.

There was one further case recorded in Westmeath yesterday, but another case in Offaly was re-designated.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan says they're seeing high levels of compliance with the restrictions, and is hopeful that continues this weekend:

Latest local figures:

The number of overall cases of coronavirus in the midlands remains unchanged at 1,401. 

There has been one new confirmed case in Westmeath, bringing the total there to 665. 

However, one case in Offaly has been re-designated so the figure has reduced to 478.

There were no new cases in Laois once again, the total there is now 258.