In the general population at large the coronavirus is now contained and effectively suppressed, but efforts are being focused on extinguishing the disease in nursing homes and long-stay community settings where 62% of all Covid-19 deaths in Ireland have occur…

According to Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan there are two tales to tell about the experience of Covid-19 in Ireland. 
The first is the good news that in the general population at large this deadly virus is now contained and effectively suppressed.
Detailed mathematical analysis and modelling showed the reproduction rate of the virus has fallen below one.
If we lived on an isolated island that means the virus would not be able to sustain itself for very long. 
The other tale is the experience of the disease in nursing homes and long-stay community settings where some of our most vulnerable people live.
There have been outbreaks in 254 community settings including clusters in 163 nursing homes.
So far 302 people have died from the virus in those settings – 62% of all Covid-19 deaths – with 253 of those in nursing homes.
According to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, a Covid-19 cluster is two or more cases in a setting within a 72-hour period.
Dr Holohan said all efforts now need to be on focused on extinguishing the disease in these settings.
Later today the Health Service Executive will brief the media on the measures they are taking, while the National Public Health Emergency Team will consider what more can be done at their meeting.
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There have now been 486 Covid-19 related deaths in the country, with 13,271 confirmed cases of the virus. 
Yesterday an additional 629 cases of the virus were diagnosed here. In addition, a further 95 cases of coronavirus were confirmed from the backlog of tests at the laboratory in Germany. 
This brings the total number of additional cases to 724. 
Around 80% of cases of Covid-19 will be a mild to moderate illness, close to 14% have severe disease and around 6% are critical.
Generally, you need to be 15 minutes or more in the vicinity of an infected person and within 2 metres of them, to be considered at-risk, or a close contact.