'We have absolutely no room for complacency'

Saturday's figures will be a cause for worry and concern locally, especially after it marked the second large jump in a week, with eight new infection cases were confirmed in Cavan by the HPSC just two days before, Thursday, September 24.

The Acting Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, Dr Ronan Glynn, has warned: “We have absolutely no room for complacency.”

Speaking yesterday (Sunday) following the announcement of the latest Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) Covid update, valid as of midnight on Saturday, September 26, and included nine new confirmed cases in Cavan, he said: “If every person, family, workplace and organisation does not play their part the situation will continue to deteriorate.”

Dr Gylnn further asked: “As we start into this new week, I am asking every household across the country to sit together this evening and make a plan to reduce the number of people you meet this week.”

The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

But Saturday's figures will be a cause for worry and concern locally, especially after it marked the second large jump in a week, with eight new infection cases were confirmed in Cavan by the HPSC just two days before, Thursday, September 24.

As of midnight Saturday, September 26, the HPSC has been notified of 430 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 34,990 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

There were no new deaths reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, an 1,802 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland to date.

Of the newest (430) cases notified;

·         222 are men / 208 are women

·         72% are under 45 years of age

·         40% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case

·         59 cases have been identified as community transmission

·         212 cases are in Dublin, 54 in Cork, 23 in Donegal, 23 in Galway, 16 in Louth, 15 in Monaghan, 12 in Clare, 12 in Meath, 9 in Cavan, 8 in Roscommon, 7 in Wicklow, 6 in Limerick, 5 in Kildare, 5 in Tipperary with the remaining 23 cases in 9 counties.