Confirmed cases near 20,000 as a further 59 deaths reported

A total of 59 people with COVID-19 have died in the Republic while the number of confirmed cases near 20,000, according to the latest official figures. Today's deaths bring to 1,159 the total of COVID-19 related deaths in the Republic. 
North of the Border there were 20 deaths recorded today, bringing the total COVID-19 related death toll there to 329. 
As of 11am Tuesday, April 28, the HPSC has been notified of 229 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, meaning there is now a total of 19,877 confirmed cases in the Republic.
Over the past week, 41,470 tests were carried out and of these 5,335 were positive, giving a positivity rate of 12.9%.
A breakdown of the latest data available -  midnight, Sunday, April 26 (19,383 cases) -reveals: Co Cavan has 627 confirmed cases, while Co Monaghan has 385. On a national level, the data analysis shows that 58% are female and 42% are male; 2,638 cases (14%) have been hospitalised; of those hospitalised, 358 cases have been admitted to ICU; 5,414 cases are associated with healthcare workers; and of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 63%, close contact accounts for 33%, travel abroad accounts for 3%. 
The National Public Health Emergency Team met today (Tuesday 28 April) to determine a phased, risk-based, public health approach to inform any change to measures currently in place. It will continue to review evidence to enable the Minister for Health to make formal recommendations to Government over the coming days.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: “While there are many facets to Ireland’s approach to managing the impact of COVID-19, NPHET’s primary responsibility is to consider the impact on the public’s health and to advise on measures that can limit that impact.”