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Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team 21st March

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been informed of 102 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
 
There are now 785 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
 
The HSE is now working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.
 
Today’s data from HPSC, as of midnight, Thursday 19 March (584 cases), reveals;
·         Of the 584 cases notified, 55% are male and 44% are female, with 29 clusters involving 157 cases.
·         The median age of confirmed cases is 44 years
·         30% of cases have been hospitalised
·         13 cases admitted to ICU - representing 2% of all cases hospitalised
·         147 cases - 25% of cases are associated with healthcare workers
·         Dublin has the highest number of cases at 55%, followed by Cork 15%
 
Of those for whom transmission status is known, community transmission accounts for 42%, close contact accounts for 23%, travel abroad accounts for 35%.
 
The Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 was signed into law by the President of Ireland on Friday, 20 March. This Act empowers the Minister for Health to prohibit and restrict the holding of certain events, and to close certain premises, for example public houses.
 
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; 
The Department is aware that pubs in some areas of the country are continuing to open, in contravention of existing public health advice.
 
If any such premises become known to us, the Minister will be advised to use his regulatory powers to enforce the temporary closure of premises in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19. 
 
We are also asking An Garda Siochana to assist in encouraging the public to abide by the public health advice on social distancing by encouraging any groups congregating in public to disperse.
 
Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said;
We must continue in our efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19 together, as a society, to protect our healthcare workers and our most vulnerable.
 
 
 
 
Case analysis as at midnight 19 March - Source: HSPC
Total number of cases
584
Total number hospitalised
173
Total number admitted to ICU
13
Tiotal number of deaths
3
Case fatality rate
0.5
Total number of healthcare workers
147
Number clusters notified
29
Median age
44
Gender
Number
% of Total
Female
257
44%
Male
320
55%
Unknown
7
1%
Total
584
Age Group
Number
% of Total
Age specific incidence
>1
2
0%
0.3
1 - 4
2
0%
0.3
5 - 14
10
2%
1.8
15 - 24
56
10%
9.6
25 - 34
110
19%
18.8
35 - 44
121
21%
20.7
45 - 54
95
16%
16.3
55 - 64
85
15%
14.6
65+
102
17%
17.5
Unknown
1
0%
0.2
Total
584
Transmission Classification
Community transmission
179
Close contact with confirmed case
97
Travel Abroad
148
Under investigation
160
Healthcare workers
Travel related
44
30%
No foreign travel
96
65%
Under investigation
7
5%
Total
147
Hospitalised by Age Group
>5
2
1%
5 - 14
1
1%
15 - 24
9
5%
25 - 34
24
14%
35 - 44
18
10%
45 - 54
28
16%
55 - 64
31
18%
65+
60
35%
173
County
Carlow
<=5
0%
Cavan
<=5
0%
Clare
7
1%
Cork
88
15%
Donegal
<=5
1%
Dublin
320
55%
Galway
21
4%
Kerry
8
1%
Kildare
18
3%
Kilkenny
11
2%
Laois
<=5
1%
Letrim
<=5
0%
Limerick
15
3%
Longford
<=5
1%
Louth
9
2%
Mayo
<=5
0%
Meath
10
2%
Offaly
7
1%
Roscommon
<=5
0%
Sligo
<=5
1%
Tipperary
<=5
1%
Waterford
8
1%
Westmeath
14
2%
Wexford
<=5
0%
Wicklow
17
3%