Muireann Duffy
There have been 499 new cases of Covid-19 reported to the Department of Health up to midnight last night and eight additional deaths.
- 244 were male, 249 were female
- 68 per cent were under the age of 45
- The median age of today's cases was 32
Dublin recorded 175 cases while there were 72 in Cork, 29 in Limerick, 26 in Mayo and 21 in Meath. The remaining 176 cases were spread across 19 other counties.
Fewer than five cases have been recorded in Waterford. The 14-day incidence rate in Waterford is continuing to fall, it's now 179.0 per 100,000 population after 208 cases were confirmed here over the last fortnight.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said today that there is still a long way to go until despite welcome decreases in the virus' indicators in the Republic.
Mr Martin said the Government wanted to keep the pressure on by retaining Level 5 restrictions in order to drive the virus down to as low a level as possible.
“We intend to keep the pressure on the virus so we can open up in December and into the months of January, February and March. Hopefully, a vaccine will arrive towards the end of the year that will give people some hope," he said.
Northern Ireland
Earlier today, Northern Ireland confirmed an additional 595 cases and eight new deaths.
There have been 4,160 cases confirmed in the North in the past week, with 407 people currently being treated in hospital for the virus, of which 49 are being treated in Intensive Care Units (ICUs)
Northern Ireland's Deputy First-Minister Michelle O'Neill called for greater co-ordination between Ireland and the UK in tackling the virus in order to control the spread of the virus on the island as a whole.
