HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed 825 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

The total number of confirmed cases is now 45,531.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan also this evening confirmed one further patient diagnosed with Covid-19 have died.

There have been 1,827 deaths of patients with the disease in Ireland since the beginning of the pandemic.

Of the cases notified today: 

• 426 are men, 392 are women
• 78% are under the age of 45
• The median age of 30
• 254 cases are in Dublin, 147 are in Cork, 39 are in Cavan, 38 are in Donegal, 37 are in Kildare and the remaining 310 cases are spread across the 20 other counties. 

Here's the 14-day incidence for each county. pic.twitter.com/wCE78HqPpe

— Michelle Hennessy (@michellehtweet) October 12, 2020

As of 2pm today, 224 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 32 are in ICU, 20 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. 

Earlier today health officials in Northern Ireland confirmed 877 new cases of Covid-19 and three further deaths. 

The latest case numbers come amid a worsening situation with the virus across the six counties, particularly in the Derry-Strabane region. Reports emerged this morning that the North’s chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride had suggested a six-week lockdown to try to reverse the current trends.

With reporting by Michelle Hennessy at the Department of Health.