HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed that a further 8 people with Covid-19 have died in Ireland, and there have been 10 new confirmed cases. 

This brings to 1,658 the total number of people with Covid-19 who have died in this country. 

Since the beginning of the outbreak, there have been 25,066 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. A total of 348,000 tests have been carried out, and 22,621 have been done in the past week. 

Today’s data from the HPSC, as of midnight, Sunday 31 May (25,056 cases), reveals:

• Of confirmed cases, 57% are female and 43% are male
• The median age of confirmed cases is 48 years
• 3,292 cases (13%) have been hospitalised
• Of those hospitalised, 408 cases have been admitted to ICU
• 7,986 cases are associated with healthcare workers
• Dublin has the highest number of cases at 12,090 (48% of all cases) followed by Cork with 1,517 cases (6%) and then Kildare with 1,419 cases (6%)
• Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 39%, close contact accounts for 58%, travel abroad accounts for 2%.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: “Over the past week there have been approximately 500 new cases of Covid-19 notified, 54% of which are aged between 24-55 years old. Incidences of these cases are spread across 21 counties in Ireland.

“While we are doing well, the potential for spread remains present across all regions of the country,” he said.

“NPHET will meet on Thursday 4 June and submit further recommendations to Government for consideration.”

Dr Cillian De Gascun, Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, said: “As of midnight Monday 1 June, 348,416 tests have been carried out.

Over the past week, 22,621 tests were carried out and of these 389 were positive, giving a positivity rate of 1.7%.

Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said:

47% of people are taking longer than 4 days from onset of symptoms to being swabbed. We are strongly encouraging all members of the public to know the symptoms of Covid-19 and seek medical attention as soon as symptoms appear. 

HSE officials today appeared before the Oireachtas, warning that most of Ireland’s existing public hospitals will not be fit for purpose in terms of meeting the requirements of safe distancing.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation also addressed the committee, raising the issue of capacity in the Irish health service.

Ireland is set to enter Phase Two of the easing of coronavirus restrictions next Monday, provided that public health officials advise that it’s safe to proceed.