*Photograph: John Mangan

Five more deaths and 19 extra cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the Republic of Ireland while in Co Clare there has been no new case in a full week.

Co Clare has now gone a full week without a single additional case of COVID-19. It is the first time since mid-March that no new case has been recorded in a seven day period for the county. To date, 368 people have been classed as confirmed cases in the county, many of whom have since recovered.

A further five deaths have been confirmed by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. The death toll in the country is now 1,695 following the de-notification of one death.

In what was over double the amount of additional cases announced yesterday, the HPSC revealed that 19 more individuals had tested positive for the virus. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there have been 25,234 confirmed cases with three de-notified since yesterday.

Director of the National Virus Reference Lab, Dr Cillian De Gascun, has reiterated that face coverings should be worn when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Reports from across Co Clare are that only a minority of people have applied this advice.

Plans are underway to have the country “almost fully open” by mid-July, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (FG) stated on Wednesday. As part of this, the reopening of hairdressers and beauty salons is tipped to be brought forward from the previously scheduled July 20th.

Ireland’s recovery rate is now at 92%, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn confirmed on Wednesday evening. “While it is very welcome that the vast majority of people who contracted COVID-19 have recovered from the acute phase of their illness, there are many who continue to experience longer term effects including fatigue and decreased exercise capacity”.

A meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is to take place on Thursday morning.

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