LAST UPDATE | 27 Apr 2020

HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed that a further 18 people in Ireland have died as a result of Covid-19.

This includes one probable death, 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 1,102.

Additionally, 386 new cases of Covid-19 were announced, bringing the total number of confirmed cases here to 19,648.

Internationally, lockdown measures are set to be eased in Italy and New Zealand.

Here are today’s main Covid-19 points:

• A further 18 deaths and 386 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Ireland.
• Lifting the 2km rule on movement is people’s top preference in terms of easing restrictions here, according to a new survey.
• Inclusion Ireland has raised concerns about the lack of reporting of the number of people with intellectual disabilities in institutional settings who have died from Covid-19.
• The government said it is aware that some people are getting “fed up” with social distancing measures but has urged them to “keep going”.
• Covid-19 testing capacity will reach 100,000 tests per week, if needed, by the third week in May, HSE CEO Paul Reid has said.
• The HSE needs to ensure there is sufficient capacity to support an increase in Covid-19 testing in order to prevent “unacceptable” waiting times, the Irish College of General Practitioners has warned.
• GAA President John Horan has said the All-Ireland football and hurling championships may be pushed back into 2021.
• Ireland’s human rights watchdog has said more information is required to assess whether policing powers given to An Garda Síochána during the Covid-19 crisis are being “exercised proportionately”. 
• Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said experts need to consider advising people to wear face masks in a bid to to stop the spread of the virus. 
• Urgent action is needed to prevent the permanent closure of 90% of restaurants in the coming months, the Restaurants Association of Ireland has said. 
• The Rose of Tralee festival has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers confirmed today. 
• Gardaí have warned people not to fall for online extortion attempts amid an increase in reports of such scams during the pandemic.
• Donegal locals are “angry and frustrated” that Covid-19 restrictions cannot be enforced on day trippers from Northern Ireland.
• Ten more people have died from coronavirus in Northern Ireland today, bringing the death toll there to 309.
• The Royal Ulster Agricultural Society has announced the cancellation of the 2020 Balmoral Show.
• Financial support for higher education students, those planning on entering third-level and students without access to necessary technology remain in place, the Minister of State for Higher Education has said. 
• LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, has launched a Crisis Care Appeal in response to the hit on fundraising caused by Covid-19. 
• COPD Support Ireland has expressed concern that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a lung condition, are delaying seeking medical help due to fears of contracting Covid-19 in hospital. 
• The Irish SME Association asked the Oireachtas to prioritise legislation to allow as many SMEs as possible to avail of examinership protections.
• DMG Media Ireland has announced a €1 million advertising fund for small businesses hit by the fallout of the crisis. 
• Google Ireland will be giving €1 million in grants to Irish NGOs to help them deal with the impact of Covid-19. 
• Mental health charity Aware has launched an appeal to recruit 200 additional volunteers following an increase in demand for its services since the beginning of the pandemic.
• EBS is refunding customers certain unpaid charges from March and April. The unpaid charges to be refunded are applied when there is insufficient funds in a customer’s account for a payment to be processed.

Here are today’s international Covid-19 points:

• A total of 206,567 people have died worldwide since the epidemic surfaced in China in December, according to an AFP tally at midday today.
• Italy has outlined plans to ease Covid-19 restrictions as it recorded its lowest daily death toll since mid-March.
• New Zealand is also preparing to ease strict lockdown rules. The country reported just five new cases of the virus today and has not seen widespread community transition and will allow a partial reopening of the economy.
• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has returned to work after recovering from Covid-19, has said the UK has started to “turn to tide” on the coronavirus and “begun to wrestle it to the floor”.  
• The death toll in England rose by 329 today to 18,749.
• In Switzerland shops are back in business today, while primary students in Norway returned to school.