THE HEALTH SERVICE Executive has confirmed that 20% of a batch of Personal Protective Equipment it received for healthcare workers this week is ‘unsuitable’.

HSE chief Paul Reid confirmed the figure at a press briefing this morning, when he also revealed that most of the below-standard batch was made up of respiratory masks.

On the international front, US President Donald Trump says he expects there to be “a lot of death” in the country in the coming weeks and months, while Queen Elizabeth will give a televised address to the UK about the coronavirus later this evening. 

Here are today’s main Covid-19 points:

• The HSE has confirmed that a fifth of the first batch of personal protective equipment (PPE) – costing roughly €4 million – delivered from China for use by healthcare workers did not meet specified requirements.
• 21 more people have died and 390 new cases have been confirmed in Ireland, health officials said on Sunday evening. 
• There are now 50 clusters of coronavirus cases in nursing homes around the country, according to a new report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
• A further seven people have died of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of deaths there to 63. A further 91 confirmed cases means that 1,089 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.
• The Sunday Independent reports that GPs will be deployed to dozens of community assessment centres to treat patients who have or are assumed to have the coronavirus. 
• Yesterday evening, 17 more deaths from Covid-19 in Ireland were confirmed, along with 331 new confirmed cases.
• A viral WhatsApp message warning people of an “extremely sophisticated” bank scam has been confirmed as false.
• The Irish Cancer Society has said it’s worried that people are “putting their lives at risk” by not visiting their GP over symptoms they may have.

Here are today’s international Covid-19 points:

• US President Donald Trump has said “there will be a lot of death” in America due to Covid-19 in the coming weeks.
• Queen Elizabeth will urge the British people to show strength in response to the “coronavirus challenge” in a televised address this evening.
• The total number of deaths in the UK has reached 4,934 people. 
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called on the EU to issue ‘coronabonds’ to help countries worst affected by the virus, despite opposition from Germany and other member states.
• Also in Spain, the death toll has declined for a third successive day.
• UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that the government there could ban outside exercise if people flout social distancing rules.
• Scotland’s chief medical officer has apologised after being photographed flouting her own advice visiting her second home.
• Singer Marianne Faithfull has been hospitalised after testing positive for the virus.