The chief medical officer says people planning to spend time with family over Christmas should start limiting their social contacts now for the next two weeks
It comes as health officials say the Covid-19 situation is stable — but that the progress so far is fragile.
15 additional deaths have been reported this evening, ten of which occurred this month, with 310 new cases of the disease.
The 14-day incidence rate per 100 thousand has fallen to 79.
Dr Tony Holohan says people should start planning for the festive season now.
“It is 14 days until Christmas [from] tomorrow. Now is the time, if you anticipate spending time with loved ones, people who are vulnerable or are in vulnerable groups, over Christmas — Christmas day and the following days — now is the time to take action to limit your circulation. To prevent you from picking up this infection or passing it on to someone at Christmas time.”
There has been a total of 2,117 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland along with 75,203 confirmed cases.
Of the cases notified today:
- 162 are men/148 are women.
- 61 per cent are under 45 years of age.
- The median age is 39 years old.
- 80 are in Dublin, 27 in Donegal, 25 in Louth, 15 in Kilkenny, 15 in Waterford, 15 in Tipperary, 15 in Meath and the remaining 118 cases are spread across 16 other counties.
As of 2pm today, 202 Covid-19 patients are in hospital, of which 36 are in ICU. 15 additional Covid-19 cases have been reported in hospitals in the last 24 hours.
