Health authorities announce 'consistent suppression of Covid-19 in the community'
Health authorities have announced there is “a consistent suppression of Covid-19 in the community” after an extra 51 cases of the virus were announced, the lowest yet.
There were another 16 deaths bringing the total number of fatalities to 1,561.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the fall was continuing and below 100 for the fourth day in a row
New cases were coming to light in specific settings, he said, including in nursing homes and occupational settings.
Mr Holohan said the country had arrived at “the right time to ease restrictions” but that the public still needed to be “vigilant”.
The total number of virus cases has now reached 24,251.
However, the number of clusters has risen in some settings, including in meat factories.
Case numbers in meat factories, up to Saturday, have increased by 328 to 828 with a total 16 clusters, some four more.
Direct provision centers have also seen an increase of another cluster, bringing its total to 13 and the total case numbers in centres to 171, an extra 22.
Mr Holohan also said the latest health advice was that people should spend a maximum two hours together in a room over a 24-hour period. This has caused some controversy and confusion today and Mr Holohan said it would apply to workplaces and indoors where there is close contact.
Mr Holohan said each situation was different and public health doctors would inform employers. Health and safety authorities should also give out information, he said.
Clusters among the Traveller community, homeless shelters and general workplaces had also increased, authorities said.
