Coronavirus: 126 new cases confirmed today
By William O'Connor
126 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Ireland today, according to The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
There are now 683 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
The HSE is now working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients may have had, to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.
The latest data from HPSC, as of midnight Wednesday, March 18 (438 cases), reveals;
Of the 438 cases notified, 55% are male and 43% are female, with 27 clusters involving 142 cases;
Median age of confirmed cases is 44;
32% of cases have been hospitalised;
2.7% (12 cases) admitted to ICU – representing 8.6% of all cases hospitalised;
114 cases are associated with Healthcare workers, 36 of whom are associated with foreign travel;
Dublin has the highest number of cases at 51%, followed by Cork 15% and Limerick and Wicklow have 3% of cases each.
Of those for whom transmission status is known, community transmission accounts for 40%, local transmission/ close contact accounts for 21%, travel abroad accounts for 39%; 96 cases remain under investigation.
Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health, said: “Now is not the time for complacency.
“Every citizen who is practicing social distancing, who is taking precautions to limit the spread of this virus, is doing their country a service.
“The Department of Health has issued outdoor social distancing guidelines for everyone to follow.
“While we encourage people to exercise outside and maintain a healthy lifestyle, social distancing measures will continue to be paramount.”
Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: “We are aware that the actions we must take as a nation can lead to individuals feeling isolated and anxious.
“Be mindful of your mental health during this time, try to keep to a routine, maintain a healthy, balanced diet, and remember social distancing doesn’t have to mean social isolation – stay in touch with family & friends, use technology to stay connected.
“There are resources to help you mind your mental health on HSE.ie.”
Dr Breda Smyth, Director of Public Health Medicine, HSE said: “One in four cases relate to healthcare workers.
“We must reinforce the importance of appropriate personal protection measures in hospitals.
“A healthcare workers sub-group, established under NPHET, will continue to support frontline healthcare workers.”
