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Coronavirus: 17 additional deaths and 5,325 new cases – 12 in Laois – as schools to shut until February

There have been a further 17 Coronavirus-related deaths and a massive 5,325 new cases, according to figures released by the health authorities this evening.

Of the new cases announced today, 12 of them are in Laois, meaning the county’s 14-day incidence rate goes to 493.5, down from 494.7 yesterday.

There are now 418 confirmed active cases in the county compared to 419 yesterday.

The national incidence rate is now at 674, compared to 583 yesterday.

Of the cases notified today:

  • 2,550 are men / 2,769 are women
  • 63% are under 45 years of age
  • The median age is 36 years old
  • 1,931 in Dublin, 767 in Cork, 323 in Kildare, 322 in Limerick, 238 in Donegal and the remaining 1,744 cases are spread across all other counties.

As of 2pm today, 840 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 76 are in ICU. 102 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “We are now experiencing a considerable surge in cases and hospitalisations. We can turn this around quickly if we stick to the measures we know worked last spring.

“We have seen some early progress in that the average number of contacts per case has been dropping in recent days – but we need to continue this effort to limit as much as we can our contact with other people in the days and weeks ahead.

“If we all stay home and keep to the public health advice, we can bring COVID-19 back under control – which ultimately will protect our essential services such as Health and Education and most importantly save lives.”

New Cases in Laois

  • January 4 – 12
  • January 3 – 80
  • January 2 – 40
  • January 1 – 104
  • December 31 – 12
  • December 30 – 50
  • December 29 – 23
  • December 28 – 38
  • December 27 – 5
  • December 26 – 2
  • December 24 and 25 – 45
  • December 23 – 12
  • December 22 – 10

14-day case rate in Laois per 100,000 population

  • January 4 – 493.5
  • January 3 – 494.7
  • January 2 – 406.2
  • January 1 – 381.4
  • December 31 – 271.6
  • December 30 – 269.2
  • December 29 – 237.3
  • December 28 – 225.6
  • December 27 – 186.5
  • December 26 – 190.6
  • December 24 and 25 – Unknown
  • December 23 – 207.8
  • December 22 – 194.8

New cases in Laois during past 14 days

  • January 4 – 418
  • January 3 – 419
  • January 2 – 344
  • January 1 – 323
  • December 31 – 230
  • December 30 – 228
  • December 29 – 201
  • December 28 – 191
  • December 27 – 158
  • December 26 – 161
  • December 24 and 25 – Unknown
  • December 23 – 176
  • December 22 – 165

Schools to close

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed the Government is “looking at school closures being extended to the end of the month”.

The Cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 met this afternoon to discuss the spread of the coronavirus, with the closure of schools for January among the proposals discussed.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Mr Martin also said it is the Government’s intention for this year’s Leaving Certificate exams to be “conducted along traditional lines”.

He said “schools are safe”, but it is about the mobilisation of a million people in the context of a very high level of disease in the community.

That is why the Government is “looking at school closures being extended to the end of the month”.

SEE ALSO – Check out our 2020 Remembered series here