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18th Sep 2020

Stephen Donnelly: 1,000 cases per day in a month’s time if we continue on current pattern

Alan Loughnane

Stephen Donnelly

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly but it is how we will suppress the virus.”

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said their modelling estimates that if the current pattern of disease transmission continues there will be between 500 and 1,000 cases per day one month from now.

He said 50% to 60% of these cases would be in Dublin and explained this was why the Cabinet accepted the recommendation of the National Public Health Emergency Team for Dublin, city and county, to move to Level 3 of Covid restrictions for three weeks.

The restrictions will be in place from midnight tonight for the next three weeks.

In a statement issued on Friday night, Donnelly said the modelling projections suggested in a few weeks, and at the current rate of increase, Dublin would be at the same levels of Covid-19 seen in April and May.

“More cases are being seen in older age groups, and several wards in Dublin hospitals have, in the past few days, become dedicated Covid-19 wards,” Donnelly said.

“There has also been an increase in the number of cases associated with nursing homes in recent weeks.”

Donnelly said the decision made by Cabinet was based on a variety of factors, including:

  • The growing risk that the overall volume of disease would result in greater level of transmission among more vulnerable groups in our society.
  • The risk that greater levels of transmission in more vulnerable groups would lead to increased hospitalisations and deaths.
  • The risk that the situation in Dublin would accelerate the growth in cases in other counties across the country.

“I am acutely aware of how difficult these measures are for families, for businesses, for community groups, for sports and for those in the arts,” Donnelly said.

“If we didn’t act, many lives would be put at risk. Health services would be put at risk. Many, many more jobs would be put at risk.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly but it is how we will suppress the virus.”

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