This brings the total number of positive tests in the country to 28,116.
The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland still stands at 1,777,
It comes as yesterday a further 61 cases were confirmed and no new deaths were announced by NPHET.
There are currently six people in ICUs being treated for the virus and a further 27 in hospital.
NPHET said of the cases confirmed today: 80 are men while 67 are women, 71 per cent are under 45 years of age, 60 are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case and 14 of the cases were identified as community transmission.
Dublin is the worst hit county today with 73 cases while there are 17 new cases in Kildare, 12 in Offaly, 11 in Wicklow, nine in Limerick and the remaining 25 cases are in Carlow, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Laois, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Tipperary and Wexford.
The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.
School settings
The issue of Covid-19 in children was of particular concern at the briefing today seeing as schools are set to reopen soon. Speaking about today's figures, Dr. Ronan Glynn, acting chief medical said:
“Evidence from the ECDC and international experience to date suggests that children do not commonly transmit COVID-19 to other children or adults in school settings.
“Internationally, where schools have been reopened, schools have not been a significant driver of community transmission.
He said we all have a role to play in keeping this virus at low levels which is key to protecting our education system over the coming weeks.
Dr. Cillian DeGascun, the director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL), also said at he briefing that it is known thay children can get multiple respiratory tract infections over the winter period and as a result could require repeated tests. He said "therefore, NPHET, HSE and NVRL are continuing to assess alternative testing methods for children."
Speaking about the same issue, Dr Siobhán Ni Bhriain, consultant psychiatrist and Integrated Care lead with HSE, said: “There will be cases in school aged children just as there have been throughout the pandemic."
She says that when these occur public health teams will lead the response to limit further transmission- as has been the case in other settings throughout this pandemic.
As of midnight Sunday 23rd August, the HPSC @hpscireland has been notified of 147 confirmed cases of #COVID19.
There is now a total of 28,116 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Ireland.— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) August 24, 2020
