IRELAND'S NEW lockdown is having the desired effect as cases in the country continue to drop.
In just two weeks, daily cases have dropped by more than half: from 1,166 on 21 October to 444 yesterday, 4 November.
Ireland has been under Level 5 restrictions since Wednesday, 21 October, and while it has been tough on businesses and individuals, the number of cases are dropping, as are the number of people hospitalised and in ICU.
Now the Reproductive number, or 'R' number-- the average number of people that a person infected with Covid-19 will pass the virus on to-- has dropped below one.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly addressed the Oireachtas yesterday where he explained the drop in the number means that the virus is declining.
This is because of lockdown measures, which prevents a person infected with Covid-19 from passing it on to others as everyone is asked to stay at home.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly (Photo: Julien Behal / RollingNews.ie)A further 444 new cases were identified across Ireland as of yesterday, Wednesday 4 November-- there were also 8 more deaths announced.
The new figures brings to 1,930 the number of Covid-related deaths in Ireland.
Ireland has also had a total of 63,483 confirmed cases of the virus, after validation of data at the HPSC led to the denotification of 9 cases.
Of the new cases, 61% are under 45 years of age, with 37 being the median age.
158 were identified in Dublin, 48 in Cork, 36 in Galway, 28 in Limerick and 174 other cases spread across the country.
At the time the figures were released, 310 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, of which 41 are in ICU. There have been 25 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan urged people to stick to the lockdown rules as they are clearly working.
He said:
"Every piece of public health advice we have given from the outset of this pandemic is designed to keep everyone protected from the impact of COVID-19.
Ireland's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan (Image:Getty)"If you are a close contact of a confirmed case, you are asked to restrict your movements for 14 days and to attend for your two free COVID-19 tests, one on day 0 and one on day 7. This is because as an identified close contact, you have come into contact with the virus. It may take some time for this to become apparent, or for you to become infectious.
"By staying at home for this entire 14 day period, you are helping to stop the spread of this dangerous disease. In following this important guidance, you are helping to bring this virus right back down to where we all need it to be and playing your part in this national effort."
