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THE Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of fewer than five additional cases of Covid-19 in Clare and nine additional deaths related to Covid-19 nationally. Three of these deaths occurred in January, two in February, three in March and one in April. There has been a total of 4,727 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight, Monday, April 5, the HPSC has been notified of 443 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 238,907* confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. Of the cases notified today: 239 are men / 203 are women 75% are under 45 years of age The median age is 31 years old 208 in Dublin, 32 in Cork, 24 in Kildare, 20 in Meath, 17 in Donegal and the remaining 142 spread across 19 other counties. ** As of 8am today, 261 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 60 are in ICU. 12 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. …

CLARE Haven is in the running for a much-needed boost, after being nominated by staff of Permanent TSB in Clare for a share of its community fund. The fund operates in each of Permanent TSB’s regions across Ireland and aims to provide round €300,000 to six local charities – chosen by members of the public, in a vote that closes on Wednesday, April 7. Dr Siobhán O’Connor, Manager of Services with Clare Haven urged the public to get behind the scheme by casting their votes. She also thanked Permanent TSB in Clare for its support. “The staff and customers in Permanent TSB O’Connell Street, Ennis have always been very generous to us,” she said. “We are very grateful that we were nominated to be considered for this fund. Domestic Abuse has long been a scourge that has mired our community here in Clare. The Covid 19 experience in 2020 has exacerbated it with demand for Clare Haven’s services increasing by …

THERE were no deaths related to Covid-19 notified to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre today. There has been a total of 4,718 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight, Sunday, April 4, the HPSC has been notified of 320 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 238,466* confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. As of April 2, 2021, 923,878 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland: 655,292 people have received their first dose 268,586 people have received their second dose The Covid-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of Covid-19 in the community including daily data on Ireland’s CovId-19 Vaccination Programme.

Clare Youth Service has announced a new online makeup course for teenagers aged 15 to 17. CYS has been adding new ways to engage and work with young people over the past year and now, in conjunction with the Creative Youth Partnership, this six week course will be starting on Thursday April 15. It is described as “a great opportunity for young people who might be interested in make-up artistry as a career to gain some experience and meet some new people”. The course will be conducted through Zoom by a qualified LCETB make up tutor, who will take participants through a different aspect of makeup application and skin care each week in one hour sessions. Each participant will be given a pack in advance to ensure they have all they need to take part in the programme. Clare Youth Service at the Junction Manager, Jean O’Keeffe, sees the programme as another element of the organisation’s work in building morale …

Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara has criticised the Government’s Mandatory Hotel Quarantine strategy, which he described as “a half-baked exercise in optics” and a “flawed measure” in the context of an unchecked border with Northern Ireland and when the majority of persons arriving in the state whether by air, sea or over land are not tested for variants of Covid-19. Deputy McNamara was reacting to the news that people entering Ireland from the United States, France, Germany and Italy will not, for now, face a mandatory period of hotel quarantine. The decision follows concerns raised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General about the planned extension of the system. Deputy McNamara stated, “Israel, the poster boy for vaccination success, is on the list of states to be quarantined. Should the rationale for its inclusion be maintained, quarantining will be maintained indefinitely after we have completed our vaccination programme and other states have too.” He continued, “China is …

THE prices being sought for houses around the Banner were 2% higher in the first three months of 2021 than they were during the first quarter of 2020 according to the latest Daft.ie report. The average asking price of a house in Clare is now €191,000, 60% higher than at the lowest point of the market. Across the country, the average price of a home is now €233,000, up 63% on the worst depths of the crash. In Clare, prices in the first three months of 2021 were 2% higher than a year previously, compared to a fall of 2% seen a year ago. The average price of a home is now €191,000, 60% above its lowest point. During the first quarter of the year the average amount sought for a one bed apartment was €79,000, while it was €94,5000 for a two bedroom terraced house and €129,000 for a three bed semi detached house. The average price sought for …

THE Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 3 additional deaths related to Covid-19. There has been a total of 4,718 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight, Saturday, April 3, the HPSC has been notified of 457 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 238,148* confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. As of April 1, 2021, 893,375 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland: 636,963 people have received their first dose 256,412 people have received their second dose The Covid-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community including daily data on Ireland’s Covid-19 Vaccination Programme.

IRISH sight loss charity Fighting Blindness is running a new online course this April for 18 to 30 year-olds living with sight conditions There are over 250,000 people in Ireland living with blindness or vision impairment. The charity offers free counselling and peer support to those impacted and their families. ‘Foundations’ is designed for 18 to 30 year-olds living with sight conditions. The online course will provide participants with a toolkit of resources, information and skills to build confidence and equip young people to meet life’s challenges head-on. Part one of the two part course commences on Wednesday, April 14, and takes place over four weeks from 6.30pm to 8.45pm. Topics to be explored include third-level education, employment, technology and communication skills. ‘Foundations’ is delivered through the accessible video conferencing platform Zoom. A telephone dial in option is also available. Places are limited and must be booked in advance by contacting the team on insight@fightingblindness.ie or 01 674 6496. Find …