Officials announce 17 coronavirus-related deaths and 73 new cases

Health officials have announced 17 further coronavirus-related deaths and 73 new confirmed cases.

It takes the death toll in the Republic to 1,631 and the total number of confirmed cases to 24,803.

One previously announced death was denotified after officials determined it was not coronavirus-related.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said 90% of people who have been diagnosed in Ireland have now recovered.

“We cannot afford to stop the hard work involved in suppressing this virus,” he warned.

“COVID-19 is a new disease. Ireland and the world understand more and the virus now that we did at the outset of this crisis.

“What we know is that hand washing, social distancing and knowing when to isolate work. These measures are the most effective tool to keep this virus suppressed and keep up the recovery rate.

“We know that the vast majority of people understand that and that they are staying the course with us as we continue to keep case numbers as low as possible.”

It comes after the Taoiseach said the roadmap for recovery could be accelerated if the numbers allow for it.

He said people need to hold the line and wait and see how the numbers are responding.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister Simon Harris said the reproductive rate of the virus remains stable at between 0.4 and 0.5.

He said the “entire national effort” must be focused on keeping the number low.

Earlier, Dr Holohan told members of Cabinet that he will not be recommending any change to the two-metre rule for social distancing.

Some ministers have called for it to be reduced to one metre, in line with World Health Organisation recommendations.

Mr Varadkar has suggested the issue could be debated at the Dáil COVID-19 committee in a bid to find cross-party consensus.

As of midnight on Monday, just short of 32% (7,892) of the country’s confirmed cases were associated with healthcare workers.

Some 3,251 patients (13%) had been hospitalised and 299 had been admitted to intensive care.

Dublin accounted for 48% of case with both Cork and Kildare accounting for 6% each.

Dr Holohan also noted that recent research, carried out by Amárach, found that that the majority of Irish adults now believe their knowledge on preventing the spread of the virus is “very good.”

Some 61% believe a second wave of the virus is ‘likely to very likely.’

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