Galway is one of four counties which are being monitored closely over their COVID-19 numbers over the possibility of further lockdown restrictions.
Dublin and Donegal are currently at Level 3 of restrictions, while Galway and the rest of the country are at Level 2.
Yesterday there were 23 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Galway, and there have been more than 20 cases reported in three of the past five days.
However Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said that four counties, including Galway, are being watched closely by public health doctors.
Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week on Sunday, Minister Donnelly said that the virus’ r number i currently at around 1.5, meaning the virus is growing.
Public health officials are urging people to halve their number of social contacts this week Minister Donnelly said.
When it comes to the possibility of further restrictions on other counties than Dublin and Donegal, NPHET will consider a wide variety of factors, including not just the number of cases, but where those cases are coming from.
Minister Donnelly said there are “currently no plans for NPHET to call an emergency meeting this week”, before their scheduled meeting on Thursday.
But he added that “There are four counties which are being looked at very closely. They are Cork, Galway, Louth and my own county of Wicklow.”
Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn has said there is “no room for complacency” if we want to stop the virus circulating in the community.
