Sharp rise in new Covid-19 cases in Donegal with a further six deaths recorded nationwide

There are 53 new Covid-19 cases in Donegal from a total of 431 nationally.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre announced that it had been notified of six additional deaths related to Covid-19, bringing the national total to 2,140..

The 431 confirmed cases of Covid-19 up to midnight on Tuesday bring the total confirmed cases in Ireland to 77,197.

Of the cases notified today (Wednesday)

185 are men / 244 are women
67% are under 45 years of age
The median age is 35 years old
134 in Dublin, 53 in Donegal, 25 in Cavan, 24 in Louth, 22 in Mayo, and the remaining 173 cases are spread across all other remaining counties. 

As of 2pm on Wednesday, 207 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 30 are in ICU. There have been 22 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: “We are seeing significant and concerning indicators that this disease in moving in the wrong direction, including an increase in positivity rates, and seven-day and 14-day incidence, and our five day average has now increased to 339 cases.

"Recent international experience has demonstrated just how quickly this disease can get out of control.

“These trends are all the more troubling because of the delicate and precarious situation we are in - as a country, we are heading into a period of potential widespread inter-household and inter-generational mixing. This is an ideal opportunity for the virus to spread and impact on those most vulnerable to its severest effects.

"Don’t give Covid-19 this chance: limit your contacts, prioritise who you meet, and let’s remain vigilant so we can get through this together. NPHET will meet tomorrow to review the epidemiological situation.”

The incidence rate in Donegal remains the highest in the country at 245.6 per 100,000 people compared to a national average of 87.9 per 100,000.