*Photograph: John Mangan
Clare has reported 10 new cases of COVID-19 among 462 across the country with an additional 39 deaths recorded.
With a figure of 146.4 Clare has the tenth lowest 14 day incidence rate per 100k of the population across the country. There are 10 new cases in the county, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) stated on Thursday.
NPHET have confirmed that 462 further cases are known nationally with 207 in Dublin, 29 in Cork, 26 in Meath, 20 in Kildare, 18 in Galway and the remaining 162 cases are spread across all other counties.
Ireland’s reproductive number “remained stable,” Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group stated. This is reflected in a week on week decline in cases. “This represents an extraordinary effort over a very challenging nine week period that has brought us from 6,500 cases to under 600,” he detailed.
“Strong evidence” affirms NPHET’s view that the majority of people are sticking with the restrictions allowing to suppress the virus “and push the disease down”. Case numbers “should half if everything stays the same” over the coming weeks, Professor Nolan stated.
Notification of 39 additional deaths related to the virus has been issued to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). 10 of these deaths occurred in March, 12 occurred in February, 13 in January, and 3 occurred earlier than this. One further death is under investigation. The median age of those who died was 81 years and the age range was 0 – 97 years. There has been a total of 4,396 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.
A decline in hospital numbers continues. Data from 8am on Thursday revealed that 107 persons remain in critical care, they are included in the tally of 460 individuals in hospital at present because of the virus. 26 additional hospitalisations occurred in the past 24 hours.
As of Monday, 446,474 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland. 303,550 people have received their first dose and 142,924 people have received their second dose.
Four preliminary reports of stillbirths “potentially associated with a condition called COVID Placentitis,” Dr Ronan Glynn revealed. “These reports should be interpreted with caution as the coroners have not yet concluded their findings. The HSEs National Women and Infants Programme is aware of and is monitoring the situation and has issued a related notice to obstetric departments”.
More than 200 households have had a COVID-19 outbreak linked to an outbreak among students, Dr Breda Smyth, Director of Public Health, HSE West outlined. “We know that the new variant is more transmissible, and, based on the latest data, approximately a third of household contacts of confirmed cases in Ireland are now testing positive. If you display any symptoms of COVID-19, you must immediately self-isolate in your room and phone your GP.”
