Nine more deaths of patients with Covid-19 have been reported today, along with 46 new cases in the Republic of Ireland.
This brings the national death toll in the Covid-19 crisis to 1,629 people, while there have been a total of 24,841 cases in Ireland.
The number of Covid-19 cases in Galway jumped in today’s count, with 9 more confirmed cases bringing the county’s total to 473.
Validation of data by the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of one death, which is reflected in the national death toll.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said “Throughout this pandemic NPHET has maintained a consistent focus on mortality, being very aware of the sad toll of lost loved ones on families.”
A mortality paper discussed by NPHET today shows that mortality levels in Ireland from Covid-19 have been at the lower end of the scale compared with other countries around Europe.
“Ireland will continue to report both confirmed and probable deaths from COVID-19 in all settings and direct public health measures to limit the burden of mortality.”
Today’s data from the HPSC, as of midnight, Tuesday 26 May (24,795 cases), reveals:
· 57% are female and 43% are male
· the median age of confirmed cases is 48 years
· 3,267 cases (13%) have been hospitalised
· Of those hospitalised, 404 cases have been admitted to ICU
· 7,920 cases are associated with healthcare workers
· Dublin has the highest number of cases at 11,996 (48% of all cases) followed by Cork     with 1,458 cases (6%) and then Kildare with 1,414 cases (6%)
· Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for    40%, close contact accounts for 58%, travel abroad accounts for 2%
Dr. Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer said that the NPHET agreed “in principle” today to sudden loss of smell (anosmia) and loss of taste (ageusia) in the case definition for Covid-19.
This is subject to updated guidance from the European Centre for Disease Prevention, which is expected tomorrow.
The reproduction rate for the virus is currently estimated to be at 0.5, while hospital admissions continue to decline said Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group.
Next week we are expected to see figures which will reflect the easing of restrictions on the spread of the disease, thought it is hoped that the r number will remain below 1.
