A further 38 people have died from Covid-19, there are 369 confirmed cases in Meath

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today today confirmed that a further that 38 people diagnosed with Covid-19 in Ireland have died:

Twenty nine deaths were located in the east, six in the west, three were in the south of the country  - the people included 22 males and 16 females.
The average age of today’s reported deaths was 84 with 28 people reported as having underlying health conditions.
There have now been 444 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland.

A further breakdown from the HPSC included information that:

- An additional 657 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported by Irish laboratories
- An additional 411 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported by a laboratory in Germany

With the latest figures from Germany included, there are now a total of 12,547 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

There was 369 confirmed cases in Meath, 3.3% of national total.

The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: "We are continuing to monitor the course of this disease across a range of indicators – not only in the number of confirmed cases and deaths reported but also through hospital and ICU admissions, clusters and patterns of transmission.
“While a number of these parameters are going in a positive direction, it is clear that we need to keep going in our efforts, on an individual level, to limit the spread of this virus.”

Dr. Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: "The World Health Organisation yesterday published its Covid-19 strategy update.
“This strategy re-emphasises the need for comprehensive public health measures to slow the spread of the virus, with additional capacity to respond rapidly to sporadic cases and clusters when they occur.”
Dr Siobhan Ni Bhriain, Consultant Psychiatrist and HSE Integrated Care Lead, said:

"There are still concerning reports that attendance to emergency departments is unusually low. This concerns us.
“Everyone should continue to seek medical intervention if concerned about their health. Do not ignore symptoms of illness because of fear of contracting Covid-19 or fear of imposition on healthcare staff. The health service is there for everyone and all medical concerns.”