Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team - Friday 18 December
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 18 December 2020
- Last updated on: 21 December 2020
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 6 additional deaths related to COVID-19.
There has been a total of 2,149 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.
As of midnight Thursday 17 December, the HPSC has been notified of 582 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There has now been a total of 78,254* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
(*Validation of data at the HPSC led to the denotification of 6 cases. The figure of 78,254 cases reflects this.)
Of the cases notified today:
- 310 are men and 265 are women
- 60% are under 45 years of age
- the median age is 38 years old
- 193 in Dublin, 59 in Wexford, 47 in Louth, 42 in Meath, 34 in Cork and the remaining 207 cases are spread all other remaining counties
As of 2pm today, 198 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 34 are in ICU. There have been 13 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said:
"Over the past week, we have expressed significant concern that the level of infection was deteriorating day on day. The data today adds further evidence that the situation is getting worse more rapidly than we expected.
"The country simply cannot cope with this level of infection as we head into Christmas week. With vaccines offering hope in the coming months for our most vulnerable groups, we want to keep them alive and well so that they can receive it.
"Each one of us must do all we can to protect public health - cut your contacts, see only those you need to see. Choose to socialise safely, outdoors if possible. If you see a crowd, avoid it.
"By choosing to act safely right now, together we can limit the impact this disease will have in the weeks and months to come - and in doing so, we can protect the vulnerable and prevent unnecessary deaths."
The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community.
ENDS
Today’s cases, 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population and new cases in last 14 days (as of midnight 17 December 2020) (incidence rate based on Census 2016 county population)
| County | Today’s Cases (to midnight 17/12/20) | 14-Day incidence rate per 100,000 population (14 days to midnight 17/12/20) | New Cases during last 14 days (14 days to midnight 17/12/20) |
| Ireland | 582 | 100.8 | 4,798 |
| Donegal | 14 | 244.4 | 389 |
| Louth | 47 | 222.7 | 287 |
| Kilkenny | 9 | 194.5 | 193 |
| Carlow | 13 | 170.4 | 97 |
| Cavan | 6 | 153.6 | 117 |
| Laois | 10 | 149.9 | 127 |
| Longford | <5 | 146.8 | 60 |
| Monaghan | 9 | 133.6 | 82 |
| Limerick | 33 | 132.9 | 259 |
| Wexford | 59 | 127.6 | 191 |
| Mayo | 5 | 113.4 | 148 |
| Dublin | 193 | 112.7 | 1,519 |
| Meath | 42 | 91.3 | 178 |
| Offaly | <5 | 88.5 | 69 |
| Waterford | 11 | 86.9 | 101 |
| Kerry | 33 | 78.5 | 116 |
| Kildare | 27 | 78.2 | 174 |
| Wicklow | 5 | 77.9 | 111 |
| Tipperary | <5 | 68.3 | 109 |
| Sligo | 11 | 65.6 | 43 |
| Galway | 7 | 46.9 | 121 |
| Roscommon | <5 | 44.9 | 29 |
| Cork | 34 | 38.5 | 209 |
| Westmeath | <5 | 34.9 | 31 |
| Clare | <5 | 25.2 | 30 |
| Leitrim | 0 | 25 | 8 |
The 7 day incidence is 57.8 per 100,000 of population.
The 5 day moving average is 417.
Hospital statistics
| Total number of cases | 77,672 |
| Total number hospitalised | 5,549 |
| Total number admitted to ICU | 654 |
| Total number of deaths | 1,889 |
| Total number of healthcare workers | 12,702 |
| Number clusters notified | 10,288 |
| Cases associated with clusters | 43,076 |
| Median age | 39 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Wednesday 16 December.
Gender of patients
| Gender | Number of cases |
| Male | 36,627 |
| Female | 41,006 |
| Unknown | 39 |
| Total | 77,672 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Wednesday 16 December.
Age range affected
| Age range | Number of cases |
| 0 - 4 | 2,082 |
| 5 - 14 | 5,233 |
| 15 - 24 | 13,482 |
| 25 - 34 | 13,031 |
| 35 - 44 | 12,194 |
| 45 - 54 | 11,711 |
| 55 - 64 | 8,269 |
| 65 - 74 | 4,422 |
| 75 - 84 | 3,873 |
| 85+ | 3,347 |
| Unknown | 28 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Wednesday 16 December.
How COVID-19 is spreading
| Transmission classification | % |
| Community transmission | 30 |
| Close contact with confirmed case | 67.7 |
| Travel abroad | 1.4 |
| Unknown | 1 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Wednesday 16 December.
Note:
When a person tests positive for COVID-19 but hasn't been abroad or had contact with another confirmed case in Ireland, that's known as community transmission.
In the event that a person who tests positive for COVID-19 can be linked to another confirmed case in Ireland, that's known as close contact.
Hospitalised cases by age group
| Age range | Number of cases |
| 0 - 4 | 58 |
| 5 - 14 | 53 |
| 15 - 24 | 184 |
| 25 - 34 | 345 |
| 35 - 44 | 434 |
| 45 - 54 | 692 |
| 55 - 64 | 797 |
| 65 - 74 | 1,002 |
| 75 - 84 | 1,233 |
| 85+ | 749 |
| Unknown | 2 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Wednesday 16 December.
Cases by county
| County | Number of cases | Change since the day before |
| Carlow | 742 | +5 |
| Cavan | 2,312 | +6 |
| Clare | 1,533 | +2 |
| Cork | 6,597 | +40 |
| Donegal | 3,435 | +32 |
| Dublin | 28,676 | +149 |
| Galway | 2,825 | +8 |
| Kerry | 1,427 | +25 |
| Kildare | 4,267 | +17 |
| Kilkenny | 1,254 | +3 |
| Laois | 1,115 | +23 |
| Leitrim | 275 | No change |
| Limerick | 3,083 | +26 |
| Longford | 721 | +7 |
| Louth | 2,438 | +13 |
| Mayo | 1,627 | +10 |
| Meath | 3,556 | +17 |
| Monaghan | 1,349 | +10 |
| Offaly | 1,239 | +9 |
| Roscommon | 986 | +7 |
| Sligo | 784 | +2 |
| Tipperary | 1,663 | +15 |
| Waterford | 1,143 | +11 |
| Westmeath | 1,574 | +1 |
| Wexford | 1,342 | +45 |
| Wicklow | 1,709 | +9 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Wednesday 16 December.