LAST UPDATE | 25 Apr 2020

HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed that a further 52 patients have died as a result of Covid-19 in Ireland.

Some 377 new cases were confirmed by officials at the Department of Health this evening, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 18,561.

Total deaths in Ireland has reached 1,063 as of lunchtime today. 

Internationally, Donald Trump has dodged questions from reporters since he suggested  that disinfectant could be injected into the body as a treatment against Covid-19 –an approach that is not backed by any medical evidence.

And in the UK, there have been over 20,000 recorded deaths in hospitals, with that figure likely to be much higher when nursing home and care centre deaths are considered. 

Here are today’s main Covid-19 points: 

• There has been a further 52 deaths as a result of Covid-19 in Ireland, including 10 ‘probable deaths’, where it’s suspected the person who died had Covid-19, but a test is yet to confirm that.
• Health Minister Simon Harris has said he’s hoping for some “slight easing” of “one or two” of the restrictions on 5 May.
• 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.
• Dr Ronan Glynn said that five Irish healthcare workers have died since the pandemic started.
• Leo Varadkar said the wage subsidy scheme and the pandemic payment may be extended if the restrictions have to stay in place.
• Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald described how she was “floored” by the coronavirus.
• Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has 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.
• Health Minister Simon Harris said the next 12 days, up to 5 May, are crucial “because the more we can suppress the virus, the more headroom, for want of a better word, we give ourselves in terms of options”.
• 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.
• Gardaí warned of a new scam targeting people during lockdown.
• High strength cannabis has hit the streets of Dublin due to a shortage caused by the coronavirus.
• A company based in the Donegal Gaeltacht region has said it can produce 10 million high-grade face shields a week for those working in healthcare settings.

Here are today’s international Covid-19 points:

• Countries around the world have begun to step-by-step lift the Covid-19 restrictions.
• US President Donald Trump suggested that disinfectant could be injected into the body as a treatment against Covid-19 – a suggestion not backed by any medical evidence and sharply criticised by health experts.
• After hours of commentary, Trump defended his comments yesterday as simply being “sarcasm”, but for the first time since the crisis began, he did not take questions from journalists following the daily briefing on the virus. 
• The global death toll from Covid-19 has now surpassed 200,000.
• The WHO has warned against the idea of “immunity passports” amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• Tom Moore – a 99-year-old British World War II veteran who shot to fame raising millions for health workers fighting the coronavirus has become the oldest artist to reach No. 1 in the UK music singles charts. 
• 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.