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Irish Coronavirus cases rise to over 20,000

THE NUMBER of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Republic of Ireland has soared to over 20,000.

The Department of Health have confirmed that, as of 8pm on Wednesday, 29 April, an additional 376 cases have been confirmed, bringing Ireland's total to 20,253.

A further 31 people have also sadly died after contracting the virus according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

The HPSC is now reporting that 1,190 people have now lost their lives to the virus after a number of earlier reported deaths have been de-notified.

Residential settings such as care and nursing homes remain a high concern for the National Health Protection Emergency Team, with 392 clusters identified in residential setting, 219 of which are nursing homes.

There are now over 20,000 confirmed cases in Ireland.. Photograph: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

The clusters amount to a total of 4,363 cases of coronavirus in Ireland-- 3.457 of which have been identified in nursing homes, and of the 697 who have died in community residential setting, 593 were in nursing homes.

Dr. Siobhán Ní Bhriain, HSE National Lead for Integrated Care, said:

"We have put significant effort into developing clinical guidance for the residential care sector. This has driven the operational response and has been supported by education for all staff in this sector.

“This work is crucial in making sure our most vulnerable people get the best possible care in what is a very challenging time.”

Dr Kathleen MacLellan, Assistant Secretary Department of Health and Chair of NPHET Vulnerable People Subgroup, said:

"Ireland remains one of the few countries globally who has collected and officially reported data from long term residential care settings from the start of the pandemic.

“From the end of March we have seen an increase in deaths in this sector that can be attributed to COVID-19.

“As we continue to collect and report mortality data coming from this sector we will have a greater understanding of the behaviour of the disease in this setting and it will help us to inform public health actions and clinical care.”

However, there also remains some positive news-- well over half of Ireland's total confirmed cases have now recovered, with Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer for the Department of Health, saying:

"We estimate that as of Saturday 25 April 12,222 COVID-19 cases (64%) in the community have recovered. 1,164 cases (6%) have been discharged from hospital which gives us a total recovery rate of 70%.”

See More: Coronavirus, Covid-19, Ireland