20 new cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland this evening.
These new cases bring the total of cases in the Republic to 90. There are another 29 of cases in Northern Ireland.
Two of the twenty new cases were through community transmission. Six of these twenty cases are associated with travel and twelve are related to contact with already confirmed cases - four of these are healthcare workers and do not stem from the same case. There are still 6 patients in ICU and they are unable to trace the background of 7 of the total cases.
The latest updates comes as the country is in its first full day of schools, colleges and public facilities being closed.
Speaking about how children need to adapt to the changes, Dr. Ronan Glynn, deputy chief medical officer, said; “We appreciate these measures have a significant impact on the daily lives of families. However, they are necessary for the public good.
“Parents should try and avoid arranging play dates for groups of young children at this early stage of the outbreak.
“However, rather than staying indoors, consider outdoor activities such as playing football in the open in small groups of 3 or 4 while maintaining social distancing of 2 metres.
“This is a time to be mindful of the public health guidelines and apply these measures to your daily lives.”
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tony Holohan also said in the press briefing this evening that people returning from areas affected by Covid-19, should "restrict their movements”.
