IRELAND’S CHIEF Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has issued a message of encouragement to the people of Ireland after a significant drop in Covid-19 case numbers.
Despite five further deaths being recorded, the number of new coronavirus cases fell by 356 over the past 24 hours, going from 772 on Friday to 416 a day later.
All told, 19 counties reported drops in case numbers while both Monaghan and Laois did not diagnose any further patients with the virus.
Speaking in a surprise statement issued to public, Dr Holohan acknowledged that Ireland was “making progress” but noted there was still “more to do”.
“We are making progress in suppressing the current rise of COVID-19," he said.
"Ireland is currently one of only four countries in the EU with a reduction in its 7-day incidence.
"Nationally, our reproductive number has reduced to about 1.0.
“We are working collectively to achieve suppression, but it is too early to ease our efforts.
"The incidence is decreasing in young adults but it continues to rise in those aged over 75.
"We have more to do but we are on the right track.”
The highest number of new infections came in Dublin though the figure of 87 was significantly down on the 228 reported 24 hours earlier.
A further 62 new cases were recorded in Cork with 41 report in Mayo and 37 in Galway.
The remaining 189 new cases were recorded in 20 different counties across Ireland.
Of the 416 cases, 186 were men while 230 were women with 64% under the age of 45.
