*Photograph: John Mangan
Clare has recorded a double digit increase of COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row.
Department of Health officials stated on Thursday evening that 14 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Co Clare with a total of 442 confirmed cases nationally. The county has seen its total amount of cases rise by 29 in the space of 24 hours.
The remainder of cases announced this evening are located in Dublin (170), Cork (47), Donegal (28), Meath (23), Galway (21), Monaghan (20), Roscommon (12), Laois (11), Longford (11), Cavan (10), Limerick (10), Tipperary (10), Kildare (9), Wicklow (8), Louth (5) and Wexford (8) with 9 other counties accountable for the additional 28 cases.
It represents the highest daily number of cases since April with all counties experiencing an increase in positive diagnoses.
Mayo 648 (0)
Clare 583 (+15)
Kilkenny 459 (0)
Laois 453 (+6)
Roscommon 449 (+4)
Wexford 399 (+2)
Kerry 391 (+1)
Longford 352 (+7)
Waterford 340 (+2)
Carlow 286 (+1)
Sligo 180 (0)
Leitrim 116 (0)#Covid_19 4/26 counties as per Tuesday’s figures with no increase in cases.— Páraic McMahon (@thepmanofficial) October 1, 2020
Four people who had tested positive for the virus have died, health authorities have confirmed. It brings the nation’s death toll to 1,806.
Speaking on Thursday, Paul Reid, Chief Executive of the HSE outlined that the hospital system is not overwhelmed at present. Both the number of confirmed cases in Irish hospitals and critical care units continue to increase, he noted, the figures currently stand at 121 and 22 respectively. Four Dublin hospitals account for over 65 percent of hospitalised cases, Reid confirmed.
Earlier on Thursday, the Department of Health confirmed that Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan will return to work this Monday.
A further deterioration of the epidemiological situation nationally was reviewed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) on Thursday. The 5 day average for cases is now 412 and 18 counties have an increased incidence rate when compared with last week. The reproduction number is estimated to be between 1.2 and 1.4, with the growth rate in cases between 4-5% per day.
NPHET noted a particular concern in relation to trends in indicators of disease severity. There are 119 people in hospital with 20 in critical care and there were 32 deaths in September. While there continues to be a number of counties with particularly high incidence, the NPHET’s main concern now is the overall national picture.
As a result NPHET recommended that no more than two households should meet at any given time. People should only have a maximum of six visitors from one other household to their home. People can continue to meet socially in other settings, but only with people from one other household. NPHET have further advised that Government extend the Level 2 measures currently in place for a further period of three weeks, with Donegal and Dublin remaining at Level 3.
