Another 11 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre today, along with 115 new confirmed cases.
There have now been a total 1,592 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland, and 24,506 confirmed cases.
There were six cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Galway today, after the county went a day without any new cases on Thursday.
Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 2 deaths today.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan said “Today NPHET recommended that the HSE build on the very significant work to date in expanding the testing capacity, to ensure that there is an integrated and coordinated clinical and public health-informed approach to the establishment and implementation of a national testing strategy.”
Today’s data from the HPSC, as of midnight, Wednesday 20 May (24,351 cases), reveals:
- 57% are female and 43% are male
- the median age of confirmed cases is 48 years
- 3,194 cases (13%) have been hospitalised
- of those hospitalised, 393 cases have been admitted to ICU
- 7,791 cases are associated with healthcare workers
- Dublin has the highest number of cases at 11,794 (48% of all cases) followed by Cork with 1,398 cases (6%) and then Kildare with 1,383 cases (6%)
- of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 60%, close contact accounts for 37%, travel abroad accounts for 3%
Dr Siobhán Ni Bhriain, Consultant Psychiatrist and Integrated Care Lead HSE, said “Individual health is never more important than it is during this time of pandemic.”
“I would encourage every member of society to register with a GP and establish an access point to the healthcare system.”
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn added “Research conducted on behalf of the Department of Health shows that 86% of people rate their knowledge on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as high.
“This is essential knowledge for all of society to have and use as we move safely through the phases ahead.”
