Coronavirus: 17 Further Deaths Confirmed

News updates for Wednesday 17th March 2021.

Local figures:

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 17 additional deaths related to COVID-19.

9 deaths occurred in March, 4 in February, and 4 occurred in January or earlier.

The median age of those who died was 81 years and the age range was 51 – 94 years.

There has been a total of 4,566* COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

As of midnight, Tuesday 16th March, the HPSC has been notified of 557 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 228,215** confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

Of the cases notified today:

• 262 are men / 291 are women
• 74% are under 45 years of age
• The median age is 29 years old
• 229 in Dublin, 58 in Kildare, 34 in Donegal, 31 in Meath, 24 in Tipperary and the remaining 181 cases are spread across all other counties. ***

As of 8am today, 350 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 83 are in ICU. 19 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

As of March 14^th, 617,050 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland:

• 452,554 people have received their first dose
• 164,496 people have received their second dose

The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community including daily data on Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.

*Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification 3 deaths. The figure of 4,566 deaths reflects this.

**Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 5 confirmed cases. The figure of 228,215 confirmed cases reflects this.

**County data should be considered provisional as the national Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting System (CIDR) is a dynamic system and case details are continually being validated and updated.

Today’s cases, 5-day moving average of new cases, 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population and new cases in last 14 days (as of midnight 16 March 2021) (incidence rate based on Census 2016 county population)

Northern Ireland:

Garden centres in Northern Ireland can open for click-and-collect services from April 1st, under Stormont's new reopening plan.

Up to 10 people from two households will also be able to participate in outdoor sports from that day.

And six people from two households will be allowed to meet in a garden, while schools will reopen on a phased basis over the next month.

Vaccine:

The European Medicines Agency says there's no evidence the AstraZeneca vaccine has caused blood clots.

Scientists are looking into it and will report back on Thursday, after some countries including Ireland suspended its use.

But the E-M-A’s executive director, Emer Cooke, says the "benefits" of the jab "outweigh the risk".

She says although they're focusing on this jab, the regulator is looking into reports other vaccines are causing similar issues:

Professor of Experimental Immunology at Trinity College, and Mullingar's Kingston Mills, says he is confident the vaccine will be given the go-ahead:

Travel:

The European Commission will publish plans for a so-called 'vaccine passport' for international travel later today.

It will involve people who've had the Covid-19 jab present a 'digital green certificate' when travelling across the EU.

It will also include test results for those who haven't been vaccinated, or information on whether someone has recovered from the virus.

Pat Dawson, the chief executive of the Irish Travel Agents Association, says the plan is urgently needed to save jobs:

Nearly 6,500 Irish residents flew into Dublin Airport last week, after returning from abroad.

A further 4,500 non-Irish residents also arrived - but the total figure is down 7 per cent on the previous week.

Sinn Féin's transport spokesman, Darren O'Rourke, says mandatory hotel quarantine is needed urgently, to cut the numbers further:

Checkpoints:

More than 2,500 gardai will be on duty across the country today to clamp down on large gatherings and non-essential travel.

There'll be high visibility patrols and checkpoints, with people being urged to stay at home and avoid house parties.

Meanwhile there'll be air, dog and mounted units deployed in Dublin, with multiple anti-lockdown protests expected.

Professor Sam McConkey, from the Royal College of Surgeons, says gatherings today could delay the lifting of restrictions:

Local figures:

Ireland has recorded its second lowest number of daily Covid-19 cases this year.

349 have been reported, along with a further 18 deaths.

11 new cases were confirmed in Westmeath and both Offaly and Laois had less than five new cases. 

The number of people in hospital stands at 349, down from 498 a fortnight ago.

While 85 people are in ICU, a drop of 30 over the same period.

Chairman of the Irish Medical Organisation's GP Committee, Dr Denis McCauley, says if case daily case numbers continue to fall, hospital numbers should follow soon after: