Coronavirus: 13 Patients Have Died

Latest news updates for 2nd April 2020.

19.59 - Weddings

Couples planning their wedding are being advised to get wedding insurance.

Thousands of people's big day has been cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis with couples scrambling to find another date.

Many without wedding insurance have lost deposits from smaller suppliers.

19.30 - Finance

The Finance Minister says the cost of measures put in place to tackle Covid 19 could be more than 8 billion euro.

Paschal Donohoe also believes there could be tax shortfall of another 8 billion at least by the end of 2020.

New figures show the government's already collected 800 million less than it planned to in the first three months of the year.

Minister Donohoe believes a quick economic recovery is still possible - but that'll depend on two elements:

19.00 - Taoiseach

The Taoiseach says is aim over the next couple of months is to avoid another era of austerity.

Leo Varadkar has said the number of people who have signed on the Live Register in the past three weeks is equivalent to the numbers who lost their jobs over a three year period a decade ago.

He said it is possible that tax cuts could be used to stimulate the economy when the Covid-19 emergency is over.

The Taoiseach says everything will be done to avoid more austerity:

18.30 - Late Late Show

Miriam O'Callaghan returns to the Late Late Show tomorrow night as host Ryan Tubridy recovers from coronavirus.

Michael Prendergast, a 28-year-old from Kerry who was hospitalised with Covid-19, will be speaking about his experience of contracting the virus, and his recovery. 

Sean Moynihan, CEO of ALONE, will discuss the increase in calls to the service by concerned elderly people living alone. 

The Body Coach Joe Wicks will talk about the importance of exercise, Gavin James will perform a number of songs in studio, and John Sheahan from the Dubliners will discuss his experience of cocooning. 

Breaking news:

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been informed that 13 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Ireland have died.

· 9 deaths located in the east, 1 in the south, 3 in the west of the country.

· The patients included 4 females and 9 males.

· 10 patients were reported as having underlying health conditions.

There have now been 98 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

The median age of deaths in Ireland is 82.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been informed of 402 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland, as at 1pm, Thursday 2nd April.

There are now 3,849 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland - 143 of the confirmed cases are in the midlands. 

There are 81 confirmed cases in Westmeath - an increase of 1. 

Meanwhile there are six new cases in Offaly bringing the total to 46.

Laois has the lowest rate in the region at 16 - with no new cases being confirmed today.

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

Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “We have a more detailed ICU report available this evening. Of 148 cases admitted to ICU, 25 of those cases have been discharged, sadly there have been 14 deaths from ICU and 109 remain in ICU. The median age of ICU admission is 62.

“I would also like to highlight a worrying scene I witnessed during my visit to hospital on Tuesday evening; empty waiting rooms and empty beds. While protecting yourself from COVID-19 is a priority, no one should ignore signs that they may need medical attention for other ailments such as lumps, chest pain or other concerns. Please do not ignore any symptom outside of COVID-19. The hospitals are there for all ailments, not just COVID-19.”

Today’s data from HPSC, as of midnight, Tuesday 31st March 2020 (3,282 cases), reveals:

· 48% are male and 50% are female, with 160 clusters involving 659 cases

· Median age of confirmed cases is 48 years

· 932 cases (28%) have been hospitalised

· Of those hospitalised, 134 cases have been admitted to ICU

· 841 cases (26%) are associated with healthcare workers

· Dublin has the highest number of cases at 1,838 (56% of all cases) followed by Cork with 272 cases (8%)

· Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 60%, close contact accounts for 23%, travel abroad accounts for 17%

17.27 - President 

President Michael D Higgins is calling on people to show solidarity, empathy, and kindness during the Covid 19 crisis.  

In a special address for local radio stations he's expressed his sympathies to families who have lost loved ones and is asking everyone to abide by the restrictions.  

President Higgins says the world is living through a common shared vulnerability and has particular praise for frontline staff

•  

  17.20 - Weddings:

  Thousands of couples due to get married in April and May have had to cancel their wedding due to the coronavirus crisis.

  Many are re-scheduling for next year due to unavailable dates and suppliers.

  Eddie Condon from Boyne Hill House in Navan says couples who are getting married later in the summer should sit tight.

  16.55 - Northern Ireland:

  A DUP councillor has blamed the coronavirus pandemic on the legalisation of abortion and same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland.

  John Carson, who represents Ballymena in County Antrim, said the crisis represents God's judgement.

  The DUP has distanced itself from his comments. 

  16.54 - US:

  More than 6 million people in the US are now claiming unemployment benefits.

  That's ten times the previous record set during the last recession.

  Over 80 percent of people there are now under some form of lockdown, up from less than half two weeks ago.

  16.50 - Finance:

  A leading economist believes the country could end up borrowing as much as 30 billion to deal with the crisis over the next two years.

  UCD adjunct professor, John Fitzgerald says however, we shouldn't have to borrow as much as we did in the financial crisis:
  

  16.45 - Dail:

  A government Minister has accused the opposition of flouting public health guidelines by forcing a sitting of the Dáil today.

  There's been a heated row as some parties sought the suspension of the Dáil until late April.

  Others have demanded accountability from the government and insisting the Dáil sit every week to allow that. 

  Minister Josepha Madigan attacked the opposition TDs who requested today's sitting:

  16.40 - Feed The Heroes:

  Over 600,000 euro has been raised to give meals to frontline healthcare workers.

  Feed the Heroes was originally set up with the plan to raise 250 euro for pizzas to be sent to some hospital wards across the country.

  The largest contributor to the Go Fund Me is Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman who donated 20,000 euro.

  16.30 - Dail:

  The Finance Minister has indicated the cost of the coronavirus pandemic will likely be more than 16 billion euro.

  New figures published today show the government's tax take so far this year is 800 million below expectations.

  Paschal Donohoe says Ireland's recovery will depend on how long the pandemic lasts and how quickly restrictions are lifted.

  He says extra spending to deal with the crisis will top 8 billion:
  

  16.02 - SVP:

  The Society of St Vincent De Paul is expecting to take a larger number of calls over the coming weeks from people who are struggling to cope during the coronavirus crisis .

  Since the start of the year, the charity recorded a 10 per cent increase in the number of people calling it for help.

  Last month, it received around 15 thousand calls.

  SVP's head of social justice Tricia Keilthy says many of these people have lost their jobs and are struggling to pay for the basics:

  15.40 - European Comission

  The European Commission says it will mobilise 100 billion euro in loans to help keep businesses running and people in employment.

  It will be used to support short-time work schemes and is available to all member states.

  The EU Commission President says the strongest of responses is required to tackle the coronavirus crisis. 

  Ursula von der Leyen hopes the SURE scheme will protect livelihoods and economies throughout Europe:

  15.25 - Weddings:

  'Change the dates' are the new 'save the dates', with thousands of weddings cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

  Most weddings in April, May and June are affected, with couples scrambling to reschedule dates and re-book suppliers.

  Jennifer Connolly was due to get married on April 17th and says she was finalising her plans

  15.15 - Simon Community:

  The Simon Communities has launched an urgent appeal calling for support during the Covid-19 pandemic.

  It says vital frontline services are under immense pressure, and that the 10,148 people living in emergency accommodation are an exceptionally vulnerable group. 

  The organisation believes Covid-19 is putting many people at particular risk, including those who are homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless due to a sudden reduction in income. 

  It says its seen a significant rise in running costs and is calling on people to donate on simon.ie. 

  15.02 - Tax:

  The government's tax take in March was almost 800 million euro below expectations because of Covid 19.

  It also spent over a billion more than expected, especially in areas like health and social protection.

  It follows figures released earlier showing more than half a million people are now receiving unemployment benefits due to the impact of the pandemic.

  Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe says he's determined to build a "new economy" so the country can recover:
  

  14.55 - Virus:

  The number of people infected with Covid-19 worldwide is fast approaching one million. 

  Nearly 46,000 patients have lost their lives since the virus first emerged in China at the end of last year, according to an AFP tally.

  569 more people have died in the UK from Covid-19 in the past day - bringing the death-toll to 2-thousand-921.

  US fatalities from the pandemic have risen to over 5,000, including a six-week old baby, believed to be the youngest victim of the virus. 

  While infection rates in Spain and Italy are slowing, Spain recorded a further 950 deaths in just 24 hours.

  14.51 - Farmers:

  The government is working with the EU to establish what supports are available to farmers who's income has been hit by the Covid 19 emergency.

  Ireland's markets abroad have been hit by the pandemic and exports are expected to suffer as a result.

  The market for the sale of products to the food services sector abroad, like fast food chains, restaurants and hotels has collapsed, according to the Agriculture Minister.

  Michael Creed says in some cases, other countries are looking to domestic suppliers to stock the shelves of local shops:
  

  14.50 - Cystic Fibrosis:

  People with Cystic Fibrosis are among those being told to cocoon during the pandemic.

  They fall into the category of medically vulnerable - along with people with other severe respiratory conditions including asthma and COPD - and should not leave their homes.

  Sasha Delaney from Kildare has missed family celebrations recently but says it's vital she continues to isolate:
  

  14.45 - Dail:

  Simon Harris says today's Dail sitting is a risk to public health after a heated row about whether it should go ahead. 

  Some TDs have sought for the Dáil to be adjourned until the end of April - with Fine Gael's Paul Kehoe calling today's meeting "deplorable". 

  They argue there's no essential business being carried out - but Sinn Féin and People Before Profit say it's essential TDs get to hold the government to account over its response to the Coronavirus crisis. 

  The Dáil will adjourn for two weeks after today - with Health Minister Simon Harris saying the meeting is contrary to the advice they're giving the rest of the country. 

  14.40 - Northern Ireland:

  Six more people have died from coronavirus in the North.

  It brings the total death toll there to 36.

  Meanwhile, 774 people have now tested positive for covid-19, after 85 new cases were confirmed.

  14.35 - Cluster Cases:

  The number of cluster cases of the coronavirus in nursing homes has risen to 29. 

  There are now 3,447 confirmed cases of the infection here and 85 people have died.

  A quarter of the confirmed cases involve health care workers.

  Only 1,500 people are being tested per day which is far short of the 15 thousand anticipated.

  Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory Dr. Cillian De Gascun says they’re working on getting more of the reagent needed for the Covid tests. 

  14.25 - Charity:

  A homeless charity says it is difficult for some of its clients to understand the restrictions of social distancing. 

  The Peter McVerry Trust says nine homeless people in Dublin have tested positive for Covid-19. 

  It comes as 110 individual hotel rooms have been secured to help those at high-risk to cocoon.

  CEO of the charity, Pat Doyle, says there are a number of issues which can be difficult to communicate:

  14.20 - Volunteers:

  Over eight and a half thousand people have volunteered to help in their local community during the coronavirus outbreak. 

  The Government has launched a new initiative to support the over 70s and people with a compromised immune system who are cocooning. 

  'The Community Call' will be overseen by individual local authorities, with a dedicated phone line in each area.

  Tanaiste Simon Coveney says the volunteers will be Garda-vetted. 

  14.11 - Showbiz:

  Some of Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber's musicals will be available to watch for free during the coronavirus outbreak.

  A channel called The Shows Must Go On is launching on YouTube tomorrow.

  The first production to feature will be the 2000 version of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, starring Donny Osmond and Joan Collins.
   

  13.56 - SIPTU:

  SIPTU's echoed calls for priorty to be given to health care staff for coronavirus tests.

  Hundreds of workers have tested positive for the virus and are off work.

  Others are waiting for tests and test results, which can take up to ten days.

  SIPTU's Paul Bell says it's important the issue is addressed:

  13.55 - Dail:

  The Dáil sitting planned for today IS going ahead after what was described as a "heated" meeting of the Business Committee. 

  Fine Gael Junior Minister Patrick O'Donovan had argued it shouldn't go ahead amid health and safety concerns. 

  The statements on the Coronavirus will happen between now and 5pm. 

  But it's been decided the Dáil won't sit for two weeks after today. 

  People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett says TDs should be meeting every week to scrutinise the government's response to the crisis:

  13.54 - Unemployment Benefits:

  More people are now claiming unemployment benefits than at the height of the crash.

  513 thousand are receiving some form of government support amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to new official figures for March.

  That includes over 283 thousand people availing of the special pandemic payment of 350 euro a week.

  Dermot O'Leary, chief economist at Goodbody Stockbrokers, says the recovery will be a slow process:

  13.52 - St Vincent De Paul:

  The Society of St Vincent De Paul received around 15 thousand calls for help last month.

  The charity says many of these callers were concerned about losing their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic and have been left struggling to pay bills.

  In the first three months of the year it has noted a 10 per cent rise in the number of people calling for help.

  Tricia Keilthy, head of social justice with St Vincent De Paul, says older people are particularly worried at this time

  13.50 - Mass:

  Daily Mass has an average television audience of 34,600.  

  It's broadcast on RTE News Now at 10:30am. 

  Bishop Alan McGuckian says it facilitates a spiritual communion of worshippers who are digitally united in faith. 

  13.43 - Nurses:

  1,169 nurses have joined the Nursing and Midwifery Register to fight COVID-19.

  385 are newly registered, while 784 have been restored to the register.

  The number of registered active nurses has now passed 78,000 for the first time. 

  Emergency measures to fight the virus means previous registrants can be restored without paying any fees. 

  13.30 - Comedy: 

  Comedian Eddie Large has died after being diagnosed with coronavirus.

  The 78-year-old was best known as one half of Little And Large.

  They had their own TV show throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s.

  His family say he'd been suffering with heart failure.

  13.16 - Working:

  Over half a million people are now claiming some form of unemployment benefit amid the coronavirus pandemic.

  It's the highest number ever recorded, surpassing levels seen at the height of the crash.

  The Central Statistics Office figures for March show over 182 thousand people on the Live Register, claiming the usual jobseekers' benefit.

  Not included in that are the more than 283 thousand availing of the government's pandemic unemployment payment of 350 euro a week.

  There are also 25 thousand people covered by the temporary scheme to subsidise people's wages.

  It means over 513 thousand people across the country are now claiming some form of unemployment benefit - that's almost a fifth of the entire workforce.

  And he says recovering from this will be a slow process:

  Of those claiming the special pandemic payment, almost a quarter are under the age of 25.

  The CSO is planning to provide a further breakdown of which workers have been most affected.

  12.58 - Testing:

  There’s ongoing concern about the amount of testing been done here as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise.

  There are now 3,447 confirmed cases and 85 people have died 

  There are 29 clusters in nursing homes across the country – this means at least three people are affected within a setting.

  Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory Dr. Cillian De Gascun says they’re working on getting more of the reagent needed for the Covid tests:

  12.41 - Homeless:

  Nine homeless people have tested positive for coronavirus in Dublin.

  51 people who are homeless are isolating, that's according to one leading charity. 

  Extra isolation beds are being put in place for homeless people in Dublin. 

  110 individual hotel rooms have been secured to help those at high-risk to cocoon.

  This has been done by the Peter McVerry Trust in collaboration with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive.

  Meanwhile, controversial plans for a security gate to stop homeless people sleeping in the doorway of the Disney Store on Grafton Street, have been approved.

  The retractable steel structure is to stop rough sleepers from bedding down after the shop closes.

  The company which operates the shop argued that drug use in the area was exposing staff to threatening behaviour and confrontation.

  12.31 - Farmers:

  The impact of the coronavirus crisis on the agriculture sector is likely to increase in the coming days.

  That's the warning from the government as it hold discussions with the EU on how to support the sector.

  A helpline has been set up for farmers to get information on supports available. 

  60 per cent of Ireland's beef exports are for food services.

  Agriculture Minister Michael Creed says demand has been badly hit abroad:

  12.17 - Restrictions:

  The Tanaiste says the restrictions announced last Friday may go well beyond the initial two week period. 

  He made the comments as he launched a new community initiative to support those who can't leave their home. 

  On Friday, we were asked to stay at home with few exceptions, while over 70s and vulnerable people were asked to 'cocoon'. 

  Tanaiste Simon Coveney this morning launched 'The Community Call' to support people who can't leave their homes.

  The partnership of national and local government and the community and voluntary sector will be available in every town, village and city across the country.

  The initiative will coordinate volunteers with requests for assistance and there will be 31 'Community Call' offices nationwide. 

  12.09 - Cystic Fibrosis:

  People with Cystic Fibrosis are among those being told to cocoon during the pandemic.

  Government measures announced last weekend advise people over 70 and those who are extremely vulnerable to coronavirus to stay at home.

  People with CF fall into the category of medically vulnerable and should not leave their homes.

  They are however advised to keep active at home.

  Sasha Delaney from Kildare has been isolating at home since the early days of the pandemic.

  She missed her niece’s first birthday party but says it’s vital for her future that she cocoons.

  Cystic Fibrosis Ireland is among the many charities which has seen fundraising events affected by the pandemic. It’s major annual event, 65 Roses Day on April 10th, is now moving from a public collection to an online fundraiser. 

  12.01 - President Higgins:

  President Michael D Higgins says we owe a debt of gratitude to frontline workers battling Covid 19.  

  In a special address for independent radio stations, President Higgins expressed sympathy to those who have lost loved ones to the pandemic.  

  He says that this virus will pass and when it does we can show our appreciation by supporting what is local. 

  He added that other people have to be praised as well:

  @PresidentIRL Michael D. Higgins will share a Covid-19 address to the Irish people today just before 12 noon on all @IBIreland independent Radio Stations. https://t.co/bKCOQi9eBK pic.twitter.com/k1DgcpSMw3

  — IBIreland (@IBIreland) April 2, 2020

  11.35 - European Commission:

  The European Commission says it will redirect every available euro in the EU budget to tackle the coronavirus crisis.

  It is set to mobilise 100 billion euro in loans to facilitate the creation of short-term work schemes in all member states.

  The SURE initiative loans will be directed to countries where they are most urgently needed.

  EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the loans will allow businesses to bounce back quickly from the covid-19 economic downturn:

  11.20 - Northern Ireland:

  There are now 4,136 cases of coronavirus on the island of Ireland - 3,447 in the Republic and 689 in the North. 

  First Minister Arlene Foster says both governments are working closely together on the issue:

  11.09 - Unemployed: 

  513 thousand people are now claiming some form of unemployment benefit amid the coronavirus pandemic.

  It includes almost 300 thousand people who've lost their jobs and are receiving a special pandemic payment.

  It means more people are now claiming unemployment benefits than at the height of the crash.

  Dermot O'Leary from Goodbody Stockbrokers says the figures are unprecedented:

  10.57 - Dail:

  A junior minister has written to the Dáil's business committee trying to get today's planned sitting cancelled.

  Patrick O'Donovan argues the risk attached to all those who would attend Leinster House far outweighs the reasons for the meeting.

  TDs are split on whether it should go ahead.

  Labour are boycotting the sitting, with leadership hopeful Aodhan Ó Riordain calling it "grandstanding nonsense".

  People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett has argued it's crucial the Dáil continues to meet in a time of emergency:

  10.41 - OECD:

  The rate of inflation almost halved in the OECD area last month due to the impact of the coronavirus.

  The organisation is made up of 36 countries throughout Europe.

  According to Eurostat's estimate, inflation fell to 0.7 per cent in March - compared to 1.2 per cent in February. 

  The drop was almost entirely down to declining energy prices, with oil prices halving last month. 

  10.37 - Chief Medical Officer:

  The Chief Medical Officer has returned to work after a brief absence yesterday. 

  Dr Tony Holohan confirmed he was in St James Hospital having medical tests unrelated to COVID-19. 

  It's after he became unwell at Tuesday evening's Department of Health daily coronavirus briefing.

  Cocooning is for people:
  
  -over 70 years of age
  -living in a residential home or long-term care
  -who are extremely medically vulnerable
  
  Here is more information on #cocooning: https://t.co/bEILBxJwuH#coronavirus #COVID19 #itsInOurHands pic.twitter.com/GiVu2FGrCR

  — HSE Ireland (@HSELive) April 2, 2020

  10.29 - Restrictions:

  The Tánaiste says the current restrictions on movement may well be extended beyond Sunday week. 

  The cabinet sub-committee is meeting today to discuss the impact of the rules that were put in place last Friday. 

  They're due to end on April 12th, but Simon Coveney says they may well go on beyond that. 

  He made his comments this morning at the launch of a new community initiative to help vulnerable people during the crisis:

  10.17 - Carers:

  There's been a 450 percent increase in the number of home-carers self-isolating since the middle of March.

  416 are suspected to have Covid-19 or are awaiting a test.

  Home and Community Care Ireland says it's redeploying some of its staff to nursing homes to tackle the crisis. 

  It says the HSE will work with clients to decide who are willing to have home care temporarily suspended.

  10.09 - 3D:

  A 3D printing company has secured thousands of euro in donations in order to make face shields for staff in nursing homes.

  Jacqui O'Connor from Med Scan 3 D, who usually make models of body parts, have six 3D printers on the go: 

  9.47 - Social distancing:

  The World Health Organisation says there will be one million cases of the coronavirus in the coming days. 

  It also predicts the number of deaths will rise to 50,000. 

  Already, there are more than 900,000 cases and 46,000 deaths across the world. 

  The WHO's director-general, Tedros Ghebreyesus, says social-distancing can have a bad impact on many people:

  09.37 - Beauty:

  The current Covid-19 restrictions have led to many people practising hair and beauty tutorials at home.

  It's almost three weeks since many hair salons shut their doors.

  Dylan Bradshaw, who owns a salon in Dublin, says some people have ended up with peculiar looks:

  09.29 - Babies:

  Parents of babies in the neonatal intensive care unit at Cork University Hospital can visit their babies online.

  Significant restrictions on access to the neonatal unit means only mothers can visit for limited time periods during the day.

  Cork University Maternity Hospital and Infant Centre UCC have joined together to provide a safe and secure platform that can be accessed at any time, from any device and is available at no cost to the parents. 

  They can easily create an account that is linked directly to their baby, allowing them to download videos to share with siblings, grandparents and other family members.

  09.20 Change in testing:

  An infectious disease specialist believes we need to change our coronavirus testing policy.

  14 more people have died from the virus and 212 additional cases have been confirmed.

  126 people have been admitted to the ICU to date.

  Infections disease physician Paddy Mallon believes our testing needs to be more focused on healthcare workers and nursing homes and less on the general community.

  He says this would be more effective:

  09.00 - Nearly 1 million:

  The number of coronavirus cases around the world has nearly hit one million.

  Over 900 thousand people have been infected since the pandemic began and 46 thousand people have died.

  The World Health Organisation says the number of infected people will hit a million in the coming days.

  08.45 - Homeless:

  220 isolation beds have been secured in Dublin to help homeless people during the coronavirus crisis.

  9 homeless people have been confirmed to have Covid 19 to date in the capital.

  110 apartments have been secured and 110 individual hotel rooms.

  This is on top of more than 500 beds already made available.

  Pat Doyle from the Peter McVerry Trust say they’re badly needed:

  08.20 Charities:

  A charity marking World Autism Day says it faces a funding shortfall of nearly 300-thousand euro due to the Covid-19 crisis.

  As I Am, which supports autistic people and their family members, says it needs public support now more than ever due to increased demand for its services.

  The charity's chief executive Adam Harris says the loss of revenue will make it more difficult to help people with autism when the pandemic passes:

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  08.00 - Housing market:

  Estate agents say new house buyers can purchase property during the Covid-19 crisis without setting foot in the home they like.

  David Browne, from Savills, says many people are still keen to purchase despite the current economic downturn:

  07.30 - Testing:

  The Health Minister claims Ireland is among the top countries in the world for Covid-19 testing. 

  Hundreds of people are being forced to wait between a week and ten days for their test result. 

  But Simon Harris says we're still way ahead of most other countries:

  07.20 - Northern Ireland:

  Up to 3,000 people in Northern Ireland could die from coronavirus in the space of 20 weeks. 

  That's the warning issued by the North's Department of Health. 

  There are now 689 confirmed cases of the virus in the six counties, after 103 new cases and two deaths were recorded yesterday. 

  First Minister Arlene Foster says the department's 'worst case' prediction makes grim reading:

  07.00 - Cabinet:

  The cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 will meet today to discuss the impact of the major restrictions introduced last Friday. 

  The death toll due to Covid-19 in the Republic has gone up to 85.

  14 further patients have died from the virus, while an additional 212 cases have been confirmed.

  It brings the number of confirmed cases to 3,447.

  Testing is to be ramped up, as only 1,500 tests are being carried out here daily, much less than the 15,000 promised. 

  Deputy chief medical officer Ronan Glynn admits more testing would uncover more cases: 

  06.40 - Student accommodation:

  Owners of private student accommodation are being called on to refund students their rents for the rest of the academic year.

  The Union of Students in Ireland says the closure of colleges due to Covid-19 has forced many to return home.

  But it says companies are still charging students for the accommodation, which can cost thousands of euro per year.

  USI president Lorna Fitzpatrick says it's not fair to continue charging students for accommodation they can't use:

  06.30 - Beef prices:

  Beef Plan Movement's describing the decision by Tesco to maintain the price it's paying meat processors for beef as a "critical and reassuring" step.

  The group's now urging other retailers to follow suit.

  Since the outbreak of Covid-19, a number of meat processors have reduced the price they're willing to pay farmers for their animals.

  Beef Plan's Dermot O'Brien says they should now look at reconsidering given Tesco's decision:

  06.20 - Equipment:

  The HSE's Chief Clinical Officer says processes are in place to quickly deliver personal protective equipment to frontline staff.

  It follows the arrival of millions of euro worth of PPE into Ireland from China in recent days.

  Dr. Colm Henry says it'll be available very soon across all heathcare settings:

  06.15 - Worldwide figures:

  More than 46,000 people have now died from Covid-19 around the world, and the number of cases has surpassed 900,000.

  However 189,000 patients have recovered.

  The US has by far the largest number of confirmed cases at over 200,000 - 4,500 there have died.

  Meanwhile the UK yesterday recorded 563 deaths - its highest to date.

  In a video posted online from his self-isolation, British Prime Minister Johnson promised to massively increase the number of tests being carried out for the virus:

  06.00 - Local figures:

  14 people have died from Covid19 in the republic while an extra 212 cases have been confirmed.  

  It brings the death toll here to 85.  

  The number of confirmed cases now stands at 3,447. 

  There are now 136 confirmed cases in the midlands.

  Westmeath has 80 people with the illness, there are 40 patients in Offaly and Laois has 16.