Increase in numbers seeking hospital treatment

Cavan General Hospital continues to feel the strain as the HSE’s daily operations update shows that the highest number of confirmed cases (22) was in Cavan.

There have been two Covid-19-related deaths and 814 new cases of the disease notified to the Department of Health in the past 24 hours.

The cumulative number of cases in Ireland runs to 42,528 while the death toll stands at 1,826.

Today's notified cases break down as follows: 432 and 381 women, 70% under 45 years of age. The median age of today's cases is 32 years old.

There were 226 in Dublin, 77 in Cork, 64 in Galway, 56 in Donegal, 48 in Meath and the remaining 343 cases are spread across all remaining counties.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: "It is vital that the entire population consistently implement public health advice into their daily lives; keep your social contacts to an absolute minimum and keep physical distance when you need to be out of your home.

"22 out of 26 counties have seven-day incidence rates as a percentage of 14-day incidence rates above 50%. This shows rapidly increasing growth rates across the country."

In Northern Ireland, another 1,066 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded over the past 24 hours. One further death was also recorded, taking the official Department of Health toll to 588.

There has been a further increase in the number of people in hospital in the Republic with Covid-19.

Over the weekend, public health officials issued stark warnings about the spread of Covid-19 and the number of people in hospital with the disease passed 200. As of 8am on Sunday there were 201 Covid-19 patients hospitalised, of which 30 were in ICU.

At 8pm on Saturday night there were 198 confirmed cases in Irish hospitals and 103 suspected cases. According to the HSE’s daily operations update, of the confirmed cases, the highest number (22) was in Cavan, followed by Beaumont (21), Tallaght (18) and Cork University Hospital (15).