Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team - Thursday 24 December
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 24 December 2020
- Last updated on: 29 December 2020
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 8 additional deaths related to COVID-19.
There has been a total of 2,192 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.
As of midnight Wednesday 23 December, the HPSC has been notified of 922 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There has now been a total of 83,073* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
(*Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 4 confirmed case. The figure of 83,073 confirmed cases reflects this.)
Of the cases notified today:
- 438 are men and 477 are women
- 68% are under 45 years of age
- the median age is 33 years old
- 337 in Dublin, 73 in Cork, 70 in Limerick, 56 in Wexford, 43 in Galway and the remaining 343 cases are spread across all other counties
As of 8am today, 255 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 22 are in ICU. There have been 37 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said:
"Unfortunately, none of the indicators of this disease are showing encouraging signs. Ireland now has the fastest growing incidence rate in the European Union.
"This Christmas, the best present you can give your loved ones is to strictly adhere to the public health advice.
"Make your Christmas safe, meaningful and memorable for the right reasons. Stay home, stay safe and stay well. Limit contact as much as you can and ensure you and your loved ones have a happy and safe Christmas."
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 23 December 2020) (incidence rate based on Census 2016 county population)
| County | Today’s Cases (to midnight 23/12/20) | 14-Day incidence rate per 100,000 population (14 days to midnight 23/12/20) | New Cases during last 14 days (14 days to midnight 23/12/20) |
| Ireland | 922 | 166.0 | 7,906 |
| Donegal | 38 | 324.1 | 516 |
| Wexford | 56 | 291.9 | 437 |
| Louth | 24 | 291.0 | 375 |
| Kilkenny | 28 | 252.9 | 251 |
| Limerick | 70 | 250.4 | 488 |
| Monaghan | <5 | 249.2 | 153 |
| Carlow | 18 | 212.5 | 121 |
| Laois | 12 | 207.8 | 176 |
| Dublin | 337 | 199.4 | 2,687 |
| Kerry | 39 | 189.6 | 280 |
| Cavan | 6 | 186.4 | 142 |
| Meath | 30 | 158.9 | 310 |
| Longford | <5 | 137.0 | 56 |
| Waterford | 22 | 136.0 | 158 |
| Sligo | 10 | 132.8 | 87 |
| Kildare | 21 | 129.9 | 289 |
| Mayo | <5 | 115.7 | 151 |
| Cork | 73 | 98.6 | 535 |
| Galway | 43 | 86.4 | 223 |
| Wicklow | 14 | 82.9 | 118 |
| Tipperary | 33 | 76.5 | 122 |
| Offaly | 6 | 74.4 | 58 |
| Westmeath | 15 | 73.2 | 65 |
| Roscommon | <5 | 57.3 | 37 |
| Clare | 11 | 48.0 | 57 |
| Leitrim | <5 | 43.7 | 14 |
Note:
The 7 day incidence is 114.
The 5 day moving average is 863.
Hospital statistics
| Total number of cases | 82,151 |
| Total number hospitalised | 5,736 |
| Total number admitted to ICU | 662 |
| Total number of deaths | 1,931 |
| Total number of healthcare workers | 13,140 |
| Number clusters notified | 10,509 |
| Cases associated with clusters | 44,151 |
| Median age | 38 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Tuesday 22 December.
Gender of patients
| Gender | Number of cases |
| Male | 38,844 |
| Female | 43,261 |
| Unknown | 46 |
| Total | 82,151 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Tuesday 22 December.
Age range affected
| Age range | Number of cases |
| 0 - 4 | 2,268 |
| 5 - 14 | 5,637 |
| 15 - 24 | 14,213 |
| 25 - 34 | 13,823 |
| 35 - 44 | 12,952 |
| 45 - 54 | 12,343 |
| 55 - 64 | 8,774 |
| 65 - 74 | 4,655 |
| 75 - 84 | 4,016 |
| 85+ | 3,441 |
| Unknown | 29 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Tuesday 22 December.
How COVID-19 is spreading
| Transmission classification | % |
| Community transmission | 30 |
| Close contact with confirmed case | 66.9 |
| Travel abroad | 1.4 |
| Unknown | 1.8 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Tuesday 22 December.
Note:
When a person tests positive for COVID-19 but hasn't been abroad or had a known 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 | 59 |
| 5 - 14 | 56 |
| 15 - 24 | 204 |
| 25 - 34 | 356 |
| 35 - 44 | 453 |
| 45 - 54 | 712 |
| 55 - 64 | 823 |
| 65 - 74 | 1,030 |
| 75 - 84 | 1,268 |
| 85+ | 773 |
| Unknown | 2 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Tuesday 22 December.
Cases by county
| County | Number of cases | Change since the day before |
| Carlow | 797 | +3 |
| Cavan | 2,371 | +13 |
| Clare | 1,568 | +9 |
| Cork | 6,946 | +111 |
| Donegal | 3,702 | +66 |
| Dublin | 30,298 | +298 |
| Galway | 2,951 | +38 |
| Kerry | 1,593 | +35 |
| Kildare | 4,448 | +41 |
| Kilkenny | 1,390 | +16 |
| Laois | 1,180 | +11 |
| Leitrim | 280 | +2 |
| Limerick | 3,362 | +72 |
| Longford | 731 | +3 |
| Louth | 2,648 | +38 |
| Mayo | 1,673 | +19 |
| Meath | 3,755 | +38 |
| Monaghan | 1,461 | +32 |
| Offaly | 1,252 | +2 |
| Roscommon | 1,001 | +4 |
| Sligo | 835 | +9 |
| Tipperary | 1,698 | +4 |
| Waterford | 1,236 | +10 |
| Westmeath | 1,590 | +9 |
| Wexford | 1,613 | +37 |
| Wicklow | 1,772 | +14 |
- All statistics measured at midnight on Tuesday 22 December.