Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team - Thursday 19 March
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 19 March 2020
- Last updated on: 19 March 2020
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been informed that a patient diagnosed with COVID-19 in Ireland has died.
There have now been 3 deaths associated with COVID-19 in Ireland.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been informed of 191 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland as of midday Thursday, 19 March.
There are now 557 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.
The HSE is now working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients may have had, to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.
The latest data from Health Protection Surveillance Centre, as of midnight Tuesday 17 March (350 cases), reveals:
- of the 350 cases notified, 55% are male and 43% are female, with 26 clusters
- median age of confirmed cases is 43 years
- 31% of cases have been hospitalised
- 2% (7 cases) admitted to ICU
- 84 cases are associated with healthcare workers, 28 of whom are associated with foreign travel
- Dublin has the highest number of cases at 172, followed by Cork (62) and Limerick (14)
Of those for whom transmission status is known:
- community transmission accounts for 35%
- local transmission/ close contact accounts for 21%
- travel abroad accounts for 43%
- 71 remain under investigation
Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health, said:
"I would like to extend my condolences to the family and friends of this patient.
“It is too early to see any impact of our social distancing measures. This data underscores the importance of younger people to rigorously follow public health advice and social distancing measures.”
Dr Breda Smyth, Director of Public Health Medicine, HSE said:
"Healthcare workers are at the frontline of this pandemic. While it is heartening to see social distancing measures taken seriously across society, this must continue in order to protect the most vulnerable and support our healthcare staff throughout this pandemic.”
ENDS
These statistics are from midnight on 17 March, so do not include the last 2 day's statistics which are still being measured.
Hospital statistics
| Source: HSPC | Number of people | *% of total |
| Total number of cases | 350 | |
| Total number hospitalised | 108 | 31 |
| Total number admitted to ICU | 7 | 2 |
| Total number deaths | 2 | 0.6 |
| Case fatality rate | 0.6 | |
| Total number healthcare workers | 84 | 24 |
| Number clusters notified | 26 | 7 |
| Median age | 43 |
- All statistics measured at midnight, 17 March.
Age range affected
| Age group | Number of people | % of total |
| <1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1 - 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 - 14 | 8 | 2 |
| 15 - 24 | 38 | 11 |
| 25 - 34 | 64 | 18 |
| 35 - 44 | 78 | 22 |
| 45 - 54 | 49 | 14 |
| 55 - 64 | 54 | 15 |
| 65+ | 57 | 16 |
| Total | 350 |
- All statistics measured at midnight, 17 March.
How COVID-19 is spreading
| Transmission classification | Number of people | % known |
| Community transmission | 99 | 35 |
| Contact with a confirmed case | 59 | 21 |
| Travel abroad | 121 | 43 |
| Under investigation | 71 | 20 |
- All statistics measured at midnight, 17 March.
Note:
In the event that a person tests positive for COVID-19 and hasn't been abroad or had contact with another confirmed case in Ireland, that's known as community transmission.
In the event that a person who tests positive for COVID-19 can be linked to another confirmed case in Ireland, that's known as local transmission.
Healthcare workers
| Travel related | 28 | 33% |
| No foreign travel | 55 | 65% |
| Under investigation | 1 | 1% |
| Total | 59 | 100% |
- All statistics measured at midnight, 17 March.
Cases by county
| County | Number of cases | |
| Carlow | ≤ 5 | |
| Cavan | ≤ 5 | |
| Clare | ≤ 5 | |
| Donegal | ≤ 5 | |
| Kilkenny | ≤ 5 | |
| Laois | ≤ 5 | |
| Leitrim | ≤ 5 | |
| Longford | ≤ 5 | |
| Mayo | ≤ 5 | |
| Offaly | ≤ 5 | |
| Roscommon | ≤ 5 | |
| Sligo | ≤ 5 | |
| Tipperary | ≤ 5 | |
| Wexford | ≤ 5 | |
| Kildare | 6 | |
| Louth | 6 | |
| Kerry | 6 | |
| Meath | 6 | |
| Waterford | 7 | |
| Westmeath | 7 | |
| Wicklow | 13 | |
| Galway | 13 | |
| Limerick | 14 | |
| Cork | 62 | |
| Dublin | 172 |
- All statistics measured at midnight, 17 March.
< means 'less than'.
≤ means 'less than or equal to'.