THERE HAVE BEEN a further 138 cases of Covid-19 identified in Ireland, health officials confirmed this evening. 

This brings the total number of Covid-19 cases in the Republic of Ireland to 29,672.

Health officials said there have been no further deaths of patients diagnosed with the disease. The total number of people with Covid-19 who have died remains at 1,777.

Of the cases notified today;

• 59 are men / 79 are women
• 67% are under 45 years of age
• 39% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case
• 23 cases have been identified as community transmission
• 68 in Dublin, 13 in Limerick, 9 in Galway, 9 in Kildare, 5 in Cork, 5 in Wexford, 5 in Wicklow, and the remaining 24 cases in Carlow, Clare, Donegal, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Meath, Offaly, Roscommon, Tipperary, Waterford, and Westmeath.

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

Last night, the Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn urged people in Dublin to keep their social contacts as low as possible amid rising case numbers in the county. 

More than half of the 231 cases reported yesterday were in Dublin.