An additional 15 deaths due to the coronavirus have been confirmed by the Department of Health today, along with 139 new confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The national death toll in the coronavirus pandemic now stands at 1,467 with the denotification of six deaths, while the total number of confirmed cases in the state has reached 23,135.
In Galway an additional 4 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, bringing the total in the county to 392.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said “As we approach May 18, the next date highlighted in the government’s Roadmap, we continue to monitor key parameters associated with COVID-19.
“These include the number of new cases, numbers admitted to hospital and currently in ICU and the number of deaths.”
Today’s data from the HPSC, as of midnight, Saturday 9 May (22,894 cases), reveals:
- 57% are female and 43% are male
- the median age of confirmed cases is 49 years
- 2,998 cases (13%) have been hospitalised
- of those hospitalised, 383 cases have been admitted to ICU
- 6,834 cases are associated with healthcare workers
- Dublin has the highest number of cases at 11,175 (49% of all cases) followed by Kildare with 1,331 cases (6%) and then Cork with 1,232 cases (5%)
- of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 61%, close contact accounts for 36%, travel abroad accounts for 3%
Research conducted on behalf of the Department of Health found that 43% of people believe the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic is over.
But compliance with safety behaviours to protect from the coronavirus remains high, with 95% to people washing their hands more often, 78% coughing into their elbows, 71% disposing of used tissues immediately and 90% social distancing in queues.
“While 43% of the population believe the worst of this pandemic is behind us, the virus is still circulating, the risk is still there in our communities,” Dr Holohan said.
“The health service will continue to prepare and respond to the virus, the public are asked to stay the course and keep up the progress we have made.”
