Tomas Doherty
A further 34 deaths and 473 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the Republic on Friday.
Three of the deaths occurred in April, four in March, 19 in February, five in January, and three occurred in December or earlier.
Of the new cases, 229 were in Dublin, 32 in Kildare, 21 in Mayo, 19 in Meath, 30 in Donegal and the remaining 142 were spread across 19 other counties.
The latest figures show 212 Covid-19 patients are in hospital, with 53 in intensive care.
Offaly has the highest incidence rate in the country at 323 cases per 100,000, followed by Westmeath at 240 and Laois at 231.
Meanwhile, a senior health expert has said a slight rise of Covid cases reported in children is due to an increase in testing and not the reopening of schools.
Prof Philip Nolan, chairman of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said that data shows schools remain a low-risk environment.
Prof Nolan said that a public health investigation looked at incidence of coronavirus infection in children in recent weeks, to assess the impact of the phased return of schoolchildren to the classroom.
We have looked carefully at incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children in recent weeks for any impact of the phased return to the classroom. The data, and thorough public health investigation, confirm that schools remain a low-risk environment. 1/16 pic.twitter.com/E0IMAc5EI8
— Professor Philip Nolan (@President_MU) April 9, 2021
He said that schools are low risk because of the mitigation and protection measures put in place by teachers, principals, families, general practitioners and public health doctors.
Schools will reopen to all students on Monday, marking the final phase of the Government’s plan to have all pupils back in the classroom.
First to fourth year secondary students will return to school for the first time since the Christmas holidays.
Walk-in testing
It comes as four new walk-in testing centres are to open this weekend, two in Dublin, one in Waterford and one in Limerick city.
Testing is free for anyone over the age of 16, who lives within 5km of one of the centres, which will operate for seven days.
People are required to bring photographic ID and provide a phone number so they can be contacted with their results.
The four new centres will be located at Cumann Naomh Peregrine in Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, the Ballyfermot Sports Complex in Dublin 10, WIT College Street Campus in Waterford and St Joseph’s Health Campus in Limerick.
Opening hours are from 11am to 7pm, and the public are asked not to attend if they are experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19. – Additional reporting: PA
