HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed that a further 26 patients have died as a result of Covid-19 in Ireland.

This includes three ‘probable deaths’, where it’s suspected the person who died had Covid-19, but a test is yet to confirm that.

It brings the total number of deaths in Ireland, including probable deaths, to 1,087. The latest figure includes two denotifications, in which a death was originally believed to be from Covid-19 but has since been confirmed that is not the case.

Additionally, 701 new cases of Covid-19 were announced, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 19,262.

Data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, as of midnight, Friday 24 April – relating to 18,431 cases – shows that 57% were female while 42% were male. 

The median age of confirmed cases as of Friday was 49 years.

Some 2,576, or 14% of those cases were hospitalised and of those, some 349 were admitted to ICU. 

Of the total confirmed cases, 5,064 were cases associated with healthcare workers. 

Dublin has the highest number of cases at 9,224, around half of all cases, followed by Cork with 1,110 cases, around 6% overall.

Testing

Earlier today, the HSE insisted that Covid-19 testing capacity can reach 100,000 tests per week, if needed, by the third week of May. 

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has insisted the Covid-19 restrictions can only be lifted if a robust testing and contact-tracing process is in place. 

Speaking at a briefing this morning, CEO of the HSE, Paul Reid, said that the roadmap plans to increase testing from 10,000 tests per day, to 12,000 per day and eventually 15,000 tests per day by the third week in May. 

Reid said a long-term strategy for testing is essential to support the healthcare system and patients within it. 

“The model we have put in place, as described a few times, has been a type of war zone model. We put all the elements together, we’re going to maximise efficiency and we’re going to increase it’s volume,” he said. 

With reporting from Conor McCrave