Lake incidents
A young mother has drowned in a Co Cavan lake while trying to rescue her child.
It is understood that the woman, aged in her late 20s, got into difficulty after entering the water at Lough Gowna at about 9.30pm on Wednesday.
Separately, a 55-year-old man has died after entering a lough in Co Fermanagh.
Police confirmed they were called to an incident at Lough Melvin on Wednesday.
Indoor dining guidelines
The final touches are being made to new guidelines for the reopening of indoor dining on Monday.
It’s been 494 days since some premises, including many pubs, served any customers.
It is expected there will be no time limits, table service only and closing time will be at 11.30pm. There will also be guidance on ventilation, air flow and Co2 monitors.
Despite the new rules, the proprietor of one of Dublin’s best-known gay bars, Pantibar, has said he will not reopen indoor facilities until all his young staff are vaccinated against Covid-19.
Covid latest
There were eight fully vaccinated people admitted to hospital with Covid-19 in the most recent 24-hour period, according to figures published by the HSE on Thursday morning.
An immunovirology expert has predicted that Ireland will “get on top” of the surge in Delta cases “some time in August”. Professor Liam Fanning told Newstalk radio that within two to three weeks there will be a decrease in case numbers.
The ongoing vaccine rollout, especially in the 18-24 cohort, will increase immunity, but he warned that “a watching brief” will be necessary on the spread of the virus.
A further 1,378 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the Republic on Wednesday, as the Tánaiste said he was "optimistic" case numbers would soon peak at around 4,000 per day.
The country is seeing a “significant number” of Covid-19 transmissions outdoors when people “get too close,” a member of the National Public Health Emergency Team has warned.
Heatwave extended
A status yellow high temperature warning in place for Ireland has been extended by Met Éireann.
The warning, originally due to expire at 9am on Friday, will run for a further 24 hours and will now remain in place until 9am on Saturday, predicting maximum temperatures between 27 to 30 degrees.
Ireland is set for another scorcher today as Met Éireann said the high pressure system causing soaring temperatures is “still in charge”, after yesterday was officially the hottest day of the year so far.
One mother is warning parents to be sure suncream has had a chance to soak in, after her son suffered second-degree burns following a day at the beach.
The number of skin cancer cases is set to treble over the next 20 years with the incidence of melanoma increasing in men at a much greater rate than in women, the Irish Cancer Society has warned.
