28 people have died from the coronavirus in Ireland bringing to 263 the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland in the latest figures released by the National Public Health Emergency Prevention Team.
A total of 500 new cases of the virus were confirmed as for 1pm on Thursday bringing to 6,574 the total number of cases.
Of the latest 28 deaths:
- 22 deaths were located in the east, two in the north-west, two in the south and two in the west
- 15 women and 13 men died
- Median age of today’s reported deaths is 84
- 19 people reported as having underlying health conditions
Of the total 263 deaths:
- 72% (187) died in hospital
- 30 died in ICU
- Male – 161
- Female – 162
- Median age of all deaths is 81
The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said ”Our first strategy is to stop as many people as possible from getting the infection. For a small number of people this is a devastating disease, for 20% it leads to admittance to hospital.
Our primary reason for these measures is to protect people rather than protecting the health service.
We’ve heard from New Zealand the possibility of elimination of this virus. I think that will be a challenge for the international community. In a globalised world with travel it will be impossible eliminate transport of cases.
Relaxation of restrictions in other countries will indicate what happens when inward travel starts again. We will be watching and learning from the global community.
Nothing is final. This is a disease most people hadn’t heard of 3 months ago and for the most part we knew very little about it at the beginning. Still significant unknown about this virus, what happens when measures are lifted or restrictions are reduced, how quickly a spread of the virus might return.
I don’t think we’ll be saying we have absolutely certainty, availability of vaccine and effectiveness of vaccine all play a role.”
