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The Department of Health has confirmed 5,419 new cases of Covid-19 within the past 24 hours here in the Irish Republic.
There remain 528 people in hospital who have tested positive for the virus, down 17 on yesterday’s figures and of these 110 remain in ICU’s, down seven on yesterday.
While the new variant Omicron has now been detected in some 38 countries including Ireland, to date there are no reported deaths so far according to the World Health Organisation,(WHO).
The Health Amendment Bill, which includes a return of Mandatory Hotel Quarantine has passed all stages in the Dáil tonight.
NPHET has advised the Government that cultural, entertainment, community and sporting events should operate at 50% capacity over the coming weeks, while indoor hospitality should be brought back to where it stood before October 22nd last; nightclubs will close, with restrictions remaining in place until January 9th at least. Covid passes will be required for gyms, leisure centres, hotel bars and restaurants.
Accepting NPHET’s recommendations Mr Martin has stated that he understood the frustration felt by people with the reintroduction of these restrictions.
With the level of disease in the community still a concern, a limit is expected to be recommended on household gatherings. However, An Taoiseach Mr Micheál Martin has stated that NPHET acknowledge that there was a need for flexibility on household visits.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is to be reinstated for all those who lose jobs as a result of restrictions announced tonight.
Elsewhere
Belgium has tightened its coronavirus restrictions for the third consecutive week today to fight one of Europe’s worst spikes of Covid-19 cases.
With cases among children rising, mask mandates will apply to children from age six. Primary schools will shut for Christmas holidays a week earlier and secondary schools will shift to a hybrid system, with half of classes operating from home.
A further 1,908 new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Northern Ireland today down from the 2,272 cases reported yesterday.
There remain 326 patients with Covid-19 in northern hospitals, up 2 on yesterday, with 30 patients with Covid-19 remaining in hospital intensive care units.
Sadly 4 Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland today.
Please do continue to listen to science and do keep yourself and your family safe by regularly washing your hands; wearing a mask when appropriate, and cut down on unnecessary social contacts.
The Department of Health has confirmed 4,163 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, here in the Irish Republic.
There remain 545 people in hospital who have tested positive for the virus, down 33 since yesterday and of these there are 117 in our intensive care units, the latter figure unchanged overnight.
Another 2,272 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Northern Ireland over the past 24 hours, up from 1,992 on the number of cases reported yesterday.
There are 324 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals in Northern Ireland, down from 332 on yesterday, with 30 patients with Covid-19 being treated in intensive care units, the same number as reported yesterday. Sadly, 2 further Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland today.
The Irish Republic’s Government will assist businesses and the Irish work-force who are negatively affected by any new measures introduced to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Mr Leo Varadkar has informed the Dáil that it would be judicious for the Cabinet to wait until the National Public Health Emergency Team gives its advice later today, before taking further decisions on any form of targeted financial supports.
The Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly has informed the Dáil that he strongly believes there is a need to have a system of hotel quarantine ready and on hand to operate. The Minister stated that Ireland would be in a better position to act speedily should legislation be introduced to permit hotel quarantine should it is needed.
The HSE Chief Executive Mr Paul Reid has warned that the Republic’s hospital system is still under significant pressure from Covid-19, stating that we are still far from out of the woods despite being in the top five of EU countries with regard to the roll-out of booster vaccines, per head of population.
The European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) has stated that based on mathematical modelling conducted by them, there are indications that the new Omicron could account for over half of all Covid-19 infections in the EU/EEA within the coming months.
Following a meeting with the country’s regional leaders, Chancellor Angela Merkel has stated that Germany will now ban people who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19, removing them from greater involvement in public life.
Please do continue to listen to science and do keep yourself and your family safe by regularly washing your hands; wearing a mask when appropriate, and cut down on unnecessary social contacts.
The Department of Health, here in the Irish Republic, has confirmed 3,793 new cases of Covid-19, in the past 24 hours.
There are 578 inpatients in the Republic’s hospitals who have tested positive for the virus, down 1 since yesterday and of these 117 patients are in ICU’s, 5 fewer than reported yesterday.
In Northern Ireland, another 1,992 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the past 24 hours, up from 1,585 on yesterday’s reported figures.
There remain 332 Covid inpatients in northern hospitals, down from 341 yesterday, with 30 patients being treated in intensive care units (ICU’s), up 1 case on yesterday’s figures.
Alas, sadly, 4 further Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland today.
The President of the European Commission, Frau Ursula von der Leyen has stated that it is her personal view that there should be a discussion at EU level on the idea of mandatory vaccination for Covid-19, with 66% of the entire EU population now vaccinated, this still means that up to 150 million people, or one third of the EU population, still remain unvaccinated.
Air travel to the USA will face tougher Covid-19 testing rules as other countries begin to tighten border controls in an attempt to slow the spread of the new Omicron variant. The first case of the Omicron variant was confirmed here in Ireland earlier today.
Dr Gerald Barry, latter assistant professor of virology at University College Dublin has stated that antigen testing on travellers arriving into Ireland will not reduce the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 and is simply should be seen as window dressing. Professor Barry stated that there needs to be a bigger emphasis on controlling the spread of the disease within the country, rather than focusing simply on imprecise border controls.
Germany‘s health ministry has stated that the European Union roll-out of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for five to 11-year-olds will begin on December 13th, one week earlier than had been previously planned.
Here in Ireland, “Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme Rates” will be reduced from today, with same being part of the future plan to gradually wind this scheme down. In total, €5.58bn of taxpayers money has been spend on the scheme by the Irish Government; since it was first introduction.
Ireland’s Minister for Education Ms Norma Foley has said that face masks are not required during PE or during breaks in school yards and primary schools should adopt a practical approach over the next day or two, when it comes to implementing this new requirement for children in third class and above, to wear face coverings.
Half a million Covid-19 vaccines, donated by Ireland, through the COVAX facility have arrived in Nigeria.
Please do continue to listen to science and do keep yourself and your family safe by regularly washing your hands; wearing a mask when appropriate, and cut down on unnecessary social contacts.
The Department of Health has confirmed a further 5,471 new cases of Covid-19, within the past 24 hours, here in the Republic of Ireland.
The number of people remaining hospitalised with the virus stands at 579, a figure unchanged since yesterday, and of these, the numbers being treated in intensive care has risen by seven to 122 persons.
The Irish Government is asking parents to aim at reducing indoor socialisation of young people aged 12 and under, for the next 14 days, as part of efforts to stem the spread of the disease within local communities.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed eight further cases of the Omicron variant in England, bringing the total number identified there to at least 13 known cases.
Covid-19 vaccinations in Greece will be made mandatory for people aged 60 years and over, as the country comes to grips with a new surge of the disease. Authorities have stated they will impose a €100 fine on every individual over the age of 60 years, who has not received vaccinations, with the measure applying each month, beginning from January 16th onwards.
The head of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Ms Emer Cooke, has stated that present Covid-19 vaccines will continue to provide protection against current new variants.
A further 1,585 new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Northern Ireland today, up from 1,464 on yesterday.
Today also there remain 341 Covid patients in Northern hospitals; up 1 on yesterday’s reported figures. Of these 29 are being treated in intensive care units (ICUs), up 1 on yesterday.
Sadly, 2 further Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours.
Continue to listen to science and do keep yourself and your family safe by regularly washing your hands; wearing a mask when appropriate, and cut down on unnecessary social contacts.
The Department of Health has confirmed 3,735 new cases of Covid-19, here in the Irish Republic, over the past 24 hour period.
There remain 566 patients with Covid in hospitals, up 30 since yesterday, and of there their are 117 patients receiving treatment in intensive care units asross the State; a decrease of one on yesterday’s reported figures.
The Department of Health has further confirmed that NPHET’s Epidemiological Team is meeting regularly this weekend to monitor the ‘Omicron’ variant situation in Europe and are currently considering possible further required restrictions.
While there remain growing concerns around the new COVID-19 variant, ‘Omicron‘, the doctor who discovered it, Dr Angelique Coetzee, Chairperson of the South African Medical Association has stated that the symptoms are very mild and while she suspects the strain to spread widely in Europe, she has only seen two hospitalised cases to date.
The Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) have identified at least 13 cases of the new Omicron strain among 61 quarantined passengers, latter who tested positive for coronavirus after arriving there from South Africa.
In Northern Ireland, a further 1,405 new cases of coronavirus were reported todat, over a similar period, down from 1,482 yesterday.
Sadly, 2 further Covid-19-related deaths have been reported in Northern Ireland, bringing their total number of deaths, linked to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, to 2,869.
Continue to listen to science and do continue to keep yourself and your family safe by regularly washing your hands; wearing a mask when appropriate, and cut down on unnecessary social contacts.
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