LAST UPDATE | 26 Apr 2020

THIS EVENING IT was confirmed that a further 26 people had died as a result of Covid-19 in Ireland.

There were 701 new cases confirmed by officials at the Department of Health this evening, meaning the total number of confirmed cases in Ireland now stands at 19,262.

Total deaths in Ireland have now reached 1,087, including probable deaths. 

Internationally, Donald Trump has called off more scheduled press briefings and said talking to he media isn’t worth his time. 

He has been battling more controversy since suggesting that disinfectant could be injected into the body as a treatment against Covid-19 –an approach that is not backed by any medical evidence.

Some nations around the world are also in the process of lifting restrictions but there have been warnings that this could lead to a second wave of the virus. 

Here are today’s main Covid-19 points: 

• Health officials have confirmed that a further 26 patients have died as a result of Covid-19 in Ireland.
• The HSE has today insisted it is confident Covid-19 testing capacity will reach 100,000 tests per week, if needed, by the third week in May. 
• Health Minister Simon Harris said he’s hoping for some “slight easing” of “one or two” of the restrictions on 5 May.
• Five further deaths from Covid-19 were confirmed in Northern Irish hospitals, bringing the total there to 299. 
• A vaccine could be as long as 18 months away, according to the Irish Pharaceutical Health Association.
• The HSE has ranked 75 long-term residential facilities, such as nursing homes and mental health residential care centres, in the ‘red’ zone and at ‘significant risk’ due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 
• Some 21 people with a confirmed case of Covid-19 have died at one older person care home in Dublin, the HSE has confirmed.
• Letters and meeting notes from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) will be published, according to Health Minister Simon Harris.
• Leo Varadkar said the wage subsidy scheme and the pandemic payment may be extended if the restrictions have to stay in place.
• Simon Harris said the government is working on ”a roadmap, which will basically say look this is how we are going to try and re-open Ireland”.
• Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan warned the public against “slacking off” with restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19 as new data indicates people are out and about more in the last week.
• Holohan said 319 clusters have been identified in long-term residential care settings, and 191 of these are nursing homes. Questions remain about how the virus spread so easily through nursing homes.
• A new group Save Our Restaurants is calling for the government to support businesses with direct grants, while also asking banks to deal with debt in a sensitive way. 

Here are today’s international Covid-19 points:

• The global death toll from Covid-19 has now surpassed 200,000.
• China has banned “uncivilised” behaviour such as not covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing in a new set of regulations to improve public hygiene amid the coronavirus outbreak.
• Spain’s daily coronavirus death toll dropped to 288, the lowest since 20 March, as the country eased its lockdown to allow children outside for the first time in six weeks.
• The WHO has warned against the idea of “immunity passports” amid the breakout of the virus.
• Australian celebrity chef Pete Evans has been fined thousands of dollars after promoting a “light machine” which he claimed could help treat coronavirus.
• The death toll in the USA has topped 50,000.
• More than 20,000 people have now died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK.