HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed three further deaths in Ireland as a result of Covid-19 along with 34 new confirmed cases. 

The figures were released by the Department of Health this evening. 

It brings the total number of deaths from the virus in Ireland to 1,752.

The total number of confirmed cases has reached 25,730. 

Acting CMO, Dr Ronan Glynn is continuing to advise against all non-essential travel despite the Government issuing a green list of countries on Monday which outlines destinations which it deems it safe to travel. 

In a statement this evening he added: “All of the measures that we have been talking about for many months now are so important; physical distancing, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, wearing a face covering where appropriate, avoiding large crowds – are all actions each of us can take to cut the chains of transmission and stop this virus in its tracks.”

His comments comes in the wake of an increase in the R number – the rate of transmission of the virus. 

Yesterday, Professor Philip Nolan, chair of NPHET’s Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group said: “Our best estimate of the R number currently stands at 1.4 but it could be as high as 1.8.”