Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team - Wednesday 23 September
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 23 September 2020
- Last updated on: 26 September 2020
- Hospital statistics
- Gender of patients
- Age range affected
- How COVID-19 is spreading
- Hospitalised cases by age group
- Cases by county
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been informed that 2 people with COVID-19 have died.
There has now been a total of 1,794 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.
As of midnight Tuesday 21 September, the HPSC has been notified of 234 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There has now been a total of 33,675* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. (*Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 3 confirmed cases. The figure of 33,675 confirmed cases reflects this.)
Of the cases notified today:
- 115 are men and 119 are women
- 68% are under 45 years of age
- 49% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case
- 34 cases have been identified as community transmission
- 103 cases are in Dublin, 30 in Donegal, 22 in Galway, 21 in Cork, 13 in Wicklow, 12 in Louth, 9 in Kildare, 8 in Meath, with the remaining 17 spread across 10 counties
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 Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said:
"The single most important thing that people all across the country need to do now is to reduce their social contacts.
"We all need to cut down on discretionary social activities. Meeting fewer people means fewer opportunities for the virus to transmit. Please prioritise who you choose to meet and try to keep your social network as small as possible."
Dr Una Fallon, Director of Public Health, HSE Midlands, said:
"COVID-19 is highly contagious, and people can be infectious without symptoms. If you are a close contact of a confirmed case please follow the guidelines on hse.ie and restrict your movements for 14 days – do not go to school or work, do not have visitors to your home, do not go to the shop or pharmacy unless it is absolutely necessary. And to everyone, I would urge that you reduce the number of people you are in close contact with."
Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer, HSE, said:
"Earlier in this pandemic, we succeeded in flattening the curve through a common purpose and solidarity. Now, we face the more difficult task of suppressing the virus again while trying to protect education and healthcare settings.
"Every time you reduce your contacts, avoid a crowd, or choose to meet outdoors, or remember to keep your distance, know that you are a part of the frontline that protects our doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and other staff working hard for us all in the Irish healthcare system."
Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said:
"While 14-day incidence and daily incidence have stopped rising in the last few days, it is too early to conclude that there has been any change in the pattern of disease. The reproduction number over the last two weeks remains high, at between 1.5 and 1.7, growth rate between 5 and 6.1, and doubling time between 12 and 14 days.
"If we are starting to suppress the virus again, it is essential that we maintain this effort: limit our social contacts, limit mixing between households. The next ten days are critical."
The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community.
ENDS
Hospital statistics
- All statistics measured at midnight on Monday 21 September.
Gender of patients
- All statistics measured at midnight on Monday 21 September.
Age range affected
- All statistics measured at midnight on Monday 21 September.
How COVID-19 is spreading
- All statistics measured at midnight on Monday 21 September.
Note:
In the event that a person tests positive for COVID-19 and 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
- All statistics measured at midnight on Monday 21 September.
Cases by county
Note: The Health Protection Surveillance Centre have advised that in the process of validating data and reviewing addresses, county totals may change due to cases being reassigned to another county. Totals can go up or down.
- All statistics measured at midnight on Monday 21 September.