Eleven additional Covid-19 cases have been diagnosed in Clare bringing to 22 the total number of new cases in the county since last weekend.
Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn said that as of midnight Wednesday, July 29, the HPSC has been notified of 85 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 26,027 confirmed cases of the virus in Ireland.
The 11 cases in Clare represent the second largest increase in the county since June 1 when a total of 37 new cases were confirmed.
The HSE also confirmed that the eight cases announced on Tuesday are new, and that some of them relate to a cluster in the Ennis area. It follows on from the three additional cases announced on Sunday, which brought a five-week run of being Covid-free to an end in Clare.
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the county stands at 380.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been informed that 1 patient diagnosed with Covid-19 in Ireland has died. There has now been a total of 1,763 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland.
The National Public Health Emergency Team met today to review Ireland’s response and preparedness to Covid-19.
Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “Today’s figures demonstrate how quickly Covid-19 can remerge in our country. We are now at a crucial point in our response to Covid-19. Over the coming days it is vital that everyone continues to avoid large crowds, physically distance, wear face coverings where appropriate and wash hands regularly.
“Covid-19 is extremely infectious and no one is immune. Follow public health advice and stay vigilant,” he cautioned.
Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said; “Over a two-day period Ireland moved from a relatively stable epidemiology to a significant pattern connected to outbreaks. We now need to be really careful and adhere to public health advice so we do not further spread the virus. We must remain vigilant to the disease if we are to control it at this point.”
Dr Siobhan Ni Bhriain, Consultant Psychiatrist and Integrated Care Lead, HSE; “In order to maintain health services in areas outside of COVID-19, suppression of the disease in the community is paramount. By protecting yourself from the disease you are contributing to a patient’s ability to access other services. Protect our health service by following public health advice and stay safe from COVID-19.”
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.