Residents living in these areas will be forbidden from visiting other households and will be advised against traveling outside the area except in emergencies. The lowest national 14-day incidence rate was on 3 July 2020 when the rate was 2.98 cases per 100,000 population. Reducing the number of people that we meet - and engaging safely with a small core group - remains the cornerstone of our collective effort to reduce the spread of this virus and its impact on our health and the health of the people that we care about.". The figure of 1,639 deaths reflects this.). There are currently 703 coronavirus patients in Northern Irish hospitals with 53 requiring intensive care. More than 69,000 cases have recovered. To date, 615,478 individuals have been tested for coronavirus in Northern Ireland. Pubs and restaurants are only allowed to operate outdoor dining under Level 3 restrictions, but the Government is considering allowing them to operate indoor services in December, according to various reports. There have now been 2,274 coronavirus-related deaths on the island of Ireland. The region's death toll now stands at 549 while the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases has risen to 5,750. The Health Department announced one further coronavirus-related death as Northern Ireland's death toll rose to 583. There has been a total of 2,488 COVID-19 related deaths in the Republic of Ireland. Today is the first day of Level 5 restrictions across the Republic of Ireland. Update 16.30 EST: Irish Government implements Level 5 restrictions for six weeks. The figure of 1,571 deaths reflects this.). Update 10:25 am EST: There are 493 newly-confirmed cases of coronavirus in Northern Ireland today, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 39,609, according to Northern Ireland's Department of Health. Globally, there are now more than 3.1 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. More than 50,000 cases have been reported in the past two weeks, which accounts for almost 40% of all COVID-19 cases in Ireland since the beginning of the pandemic. To date, 507,632 individuals have been tested for coronavirus in Northern Ireland. Update 1:40 pm EST: There have been 720 newly-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland today, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 58,767, according to Ireland's Department of Health. Update 11 am EST: The Northern Ireland Department of Health has announced 89 newly-confirmed cases of the coronavirus, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 7,138. (*Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 20 confirmed cases. However, he said that the only thing that he was certain about at the moment was that 40,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine were arriving in Ireland every week. Update 1:30 pm EST: As of today, there have been 2,404 coronavirus-related deaths and 57,196 confirmed cases of coronavirus between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. "With the increase in outbreaks in our communities, I would urge everyone to wear face coverings in healthcare settings and when shopping, including in the supermarket and other indoor retail services.". When you are making plans to meet friends and socialise this week, take a minute to consider our healthcare workers, who have been at the frontline since the beginning of the pandemic, in hospitals, in nursing homes and in our homes, caring for those who are ill and those who are the most vulnerable to this highly infectious virus. Update 2:05 pm EST: Counties Kildare, Laois, and Offaly are to come under new restrictions from tonight at midnight following an outbreak in the region. Globally, there are more than 7.42 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. Update 11 am EST: The Northern Ireland Department of Health has reported 125 newly-confirmed cases of the coronavirus, taking the total number of infections in the region to 9,466. "Further risk assessment of the new variants is expected from the ECDC in the coming week. There have been 17 more coronavirus-related deaths in the Republic of Ireland, bringing the death toll in the country to 1,631. There are currently 840 COVID-19 patients in Northern Irish hospitals with 67 requiring intensive care and 50 requiring a ventilator. Update 1:35 pm EST: There have been 324 newly-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland today, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 33,994 according to Ireland's Department of Health. Globally, there are more than 9.49 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. The number of coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland is 536 according to the Northern Ireland Department of Health. Update 2:10 pm EST: The Department of Health has confirmed 553 new cases of the Coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland and 33 deaths. Despite the high level of cases and hospitalizations, Health Minister Robin Swann has claimed that Northern Ireland is beginning to "turn the corner" during the second wave of COVID-19. Update 4:30 pm EST: Operation Fanacht relaunched in Ireland this morning and will run through Monday, May 4, which is a bank holiday in Ireland. Update 12:40 pm EST: The Department of Health has confirmed 42 newly-confirmed cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in Ireland to 28,760. Globally, there are more than 10.1 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. “I have also emphasised the need to urgently build capacity for the National testing programme.”. Organizers said today: "Whilst the entire Electric Picnic team are terribly disappointed, we have a responsibility to all our fans, artists, crews, suppliers, sponsors, partners and our entire Electric Picnic family including the wonderful people of Stradbally who have welcomed us into their community each year. The figure of 26,995 reflects this.). There have been three more coronavirus-related deaths reported in the Republic of Ireland today, bringing the death toll in the country to 1,933. Northern Ireland’s ICU capacity is currently at 79%, while there are active outbreaks of the virus at 39 Northern Irish care homes. Update 11:55 pm EST: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said this morning that the Republic of Ireland is unlikely to hit the 15,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country by the end of the month that was earlier predicted. By May 18, when the lockdown is slightly lifted, the Irish government has said that 100k people per week will be tested, with a three-day turnaround between. "While it is difficult to face into further restrictions, it is vital that everyone plays their part by following the public health advice to protect those most vulnerable in the population.”. The greater risk of infection posed by this new variant increases the risk of transmission of the disease in the community. But knowing you are there if we do will make all the difference.". "For those aged 70+ and those who are medically vulnerable to Covid-19, it is strongly recommended that you should limit the number of people you meet to a very small core group of family members, carers or friends, for short periods of time, while remaining physically distant. Dr. Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said today: “We continue to see a concerning pattern of cases, particularly in Dublin. Stay at home, other than for essential reasons. There have been two more coronavirus-related deaths reported in Northern Ireland today, bringing the death toll to 608. "The most effective action we can take to reduce the transmission rate of this virus is to reduce our number of close contacts. However, Dr. Conor Teljeur, HIQA's Chief Scientist, told RTÉ News that the excess death figures do not fully reflect the COVID-19 death toll and that the official figure of over 1,700 deaths is still accurate. Update 1:30 pm EST: There have been 6,110 newly-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland today, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 107,997, according to Ireland's Department of Health. There have been six more coronavirus-related deaths in the Republic of Ireland bringing the death toll in the country to 1,726. We are seeing numbers of cases per day, and numbers in hospital, that we just could not have comprehended prior to Christmas. (*Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 19 confirmed cases. Globally, there are more than 137,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 5,000 deaths. There have been no new coronavirus-related deaths reported in the Republic of Ireland today, the death toll remains at 1,776. To date, 722,957 individuals have been tested for coronavirus in Northern Ireland. As of this morning, there were 37 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus in Northern Ireland, bringing the total to 209 confirmed cases. These include regular sleep, exercise, eating well and balancing time between activities that give a sense of achievement and activities that are for fun or relaxation. Elsewhere, 45 cases were reported in Cork, 28 in Limerick, 21 in Donegal, 18 in Kildare and the remaining 80 cases were spread across 18 other counties. For the fifth consecutive day, there have been no newly-reported coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland; the death toll in the region remains at 554. “Ensuring the safety of all staff who are dealing with COVID-19 patients is an absolute priority. There are currently 20 COVID-19 patients in Irish hospitals and 11 patients in intensive care as the number of hospitalizations in Ireland continues to remain low. There are no newly reported deaths in a young person under the age of 30. There have been more than 347,800 deaths and more than 2.26 million recoveries. There have been 12 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. “We must as a system try to rebuild services; manage the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; embed innovation and transformation; address winter pressures and plan for the future – all at the same time. (Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 7 confirmed cases. Of those 199 patients, 31 require intensive care. There are currently 102 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in hospital in the Republic of Ireland. To date, 39,918 individuals have been tested for coronavirus in Northern Ireland. A further 55 cases were confirmed in Cork and an additional 31 cases were announced in Donegal. 48% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case, 60 cases have been identified as community transmission. Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ronan Glynn said that Irish people needed to work collectively to curb the spread of the virus. Update 1 pm EST: The Department of Health has announced no new deaths related to the coronavirus for the first time since mid-March. Update 12:00 pm EST: There are 514 newly-confirmed cases of coronavirus in Northern Ireland today, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 43,902, according to Northern Ireland's Department of Health. There have been more than 580,200 deaths and more than 7.44 million recoveries. There have now been 133,529 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 3,243 deaths on the island of Ireland. The figure of 25,611 reflects this.). The figure of 27,499 reflects this.). There have been 17 more coronavirus-related deaths in the Republic of Ireland, bringing the total to 71. There are currently 431 COVID-19 patients in Northern Irish hospitals, with 39 patients requiring intensive care. There are some exceptions to the new rules and single adults living alone or single parents with children under the age of 18 may form a social bubble with one other household. You can read more here. The figure of 184,279 confirmed cases reflects this.). Globally, there are more than 7.96 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. There were 906 confirmed or suspected cases in Irish hospitals as of Sunday night, compared to 1,010 on Friday evening. On Thursday, March 12, the Mater Hospital in Dublin canceled most surgeries and appointments as well as imposing a blanket ban on children visiting the hospital. There have been 10 more coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland, bringing the region's death toll to 92. “We’re seeing an increasing number of young people test positive for Covid-19 so it’s particularly important that younger people start using the app. There are now 2,396 confirmed cases of coronavirus on the island of Ireland. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations also continues to fall with just 79 confirmed cases in Irish hospitals on Friday night, down from 123 at the same time last week. The lowest national 14-day incidence rate was on 3 July 2020 when the rate was 2.98 cases per 100,000 population. Globally, there have been more than 55.94 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. We have examined the number of excess deaths that occurred during the current COVID-19 epidemic to inform the National Public Health Emergency Team’s response. The statement said there have been 88 instances of members of the public spitting or coughing at Gardaí. Update 5:10 pm EST: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a 20-minute phone call today in which they discussed the response needed from the two nations in the face of covid-19. However, some of the new cases were part of a 9,000-case backlog that the National Public Health Emergency Team had warned the public about on New Year’s Day. Globally, there have been more than 35.98 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. Update 11:05 am EST: There are three newly-confirmed cases of coronavirus in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 4,776. There have now been 2,206 coronavirus-related deaths on the island of Ireland. The above figure of 38,973 confirmed cases reflects this.). According to the HPSC, the breakdown of the 40 new cases is: Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said: “In regard to upcoming St Patrick’s Day celebrations, the Government is calling on all members of the public not to organise or participate in any parties in private house or other venues which would put other peoples lives at risk. The remaining 30 cases were announced in 12 different counties. The National Public Health Emergency Team met on March 12 to review Ireland’s response to COVID-19 preparedness. 12,507 individuals have tested positive in the last seven days. The death toll in the country is now 1,984. Update 2:25 pm EST: There have been 484 newly-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland today, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 77,678, according to Ireland's Department of Health. Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said today: "The number of cases and deaths that we are reporting today and the persisting high incidence rate of COVID-19 across the country shows that we cannot underestimate the highly infectious nature of this disease and the impact that it can have on families and communities. (Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 1 confirmed case. As of 2 pm today, 231 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 31 are in ICU. "We are also seeing a number of outbreaks across the country. Update 9:30 am EST: The Northern Ireland Department of Health has announced a record 934 newly-confirmed cases on the coronavirus, more than double the previous record for new daily infections. There have been more than 1.18 million coronavirus-related deaths and more than 30.38 million recoveries. These weeks are just as important as the first weeks of our response. 93 % of the Irish population are washing their hands more often as a result of Coronavirus. There have now been 2,282 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the Republic of Ireland. There has been one more coronavirus-related death reported in Northern Ireland, bringing the death toll in the region to 587. There have been more than 695,550 deaths and more than 10.94 million recoveries. Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said today: "We are now in Level 5 because the disease is at very serious levels in our country and posing a significant risk to public health. There have now been 454 coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland, according to the Northern Ireland Department of Health. It is appropriate that it has time limits and leaves our constitutional rights in place. We have achieved a great deal of suppression over the Level 5 period, the coming weeks offer us an opportunity to drive transmission down further.”, Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said today: “We estimate the reproduction number is now at 0.6. Please continue in your efforts to follow public health advice, limit the transmission of COVID-19 in Ireland and protect those who are most vulnerable in our families and across our communities.". "Every time you wear a facemask, wash your hands, cover your coughs and keep your distance, your actions are not only preventing the transmission of the virus, but you are also protecting older and vulnerable people and healthcare workers. There have been more than 204,600 recoveries. 2,452 individuals have tested positive in the last seven days. The Department of Health additionally announced nine newly-confirmed cases of the virus as the total number of infections in Ireland rose to 25,498. Update 12:30 pm EST: The Department of Health has announced 102 newly-confirmed cases of the coronavirus, taking the total number of infections in Ireland to 29,774. Garda will be out on checkpoints and engaging with people all over the country, essential journeys in line with public health guidelines only. To date, 317,920 individuals have been tested for coronavirus in Northern Ireland. Of those 49 patients, 39 require a ventilator. "For teenagers and people in their 20s and 30s in particular, I know that what has been, and is being asked of you again is extraordinary. There have been 44 more coronavirus-related deaths in the Republic of Ireland, bringing the total death toll to at least 730. We expect to have this plan completed tomorrow for approval by Cabinet.". It is the first time that there have been less than 100 new daily cases in Ireland since mid-March as Ireland's coronavirus figures continue to fall.