231 new cases of Covid 19 have been recorded in the Republic, with 133 of the new cases in Dublin.
It’s the highest number of new infections registered since May, there are no new deaths.
54 were the result of community transmission and 69% were in people under the age of 45.
18 of the cases are in Kildare,13 in Limerick, eight in Offaly, seven each in Wicklow & Galway, six in both Cork & Meath with Waterford, Cavan & Donegal all increasing by five.
The remaining cases are divided between Laois, Tipperary, Clare, Kerry, Leitrim, Louth, Mayo, Monaghan, Sligo and Carlow, adding to the county’s 253 positive tests (to midnight September 3). Kilkenny’s figure for the same period is 413.
Across the country today there are 48 people with the virus in hospitals, four of these were admitted in the past 24 hours while one patient was discharged.
Two new pop-up testing centres opened in the capital today near Croke Park and in Castleknock, they’re capable of swabbing up to 200 people a day combined.
It comes after a new record was reached for the number of tests processed in a single day earlier this week. The HSE delivered Covid-19 test results to over 14,000 people on Thursday, the most in one day since the virus outbreak started here.
Overall, nearly 63,700 people got results last week, well under the health system’s capacity of 100-thousand.
HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid says more and more people are being sent in by their GPs & they’re ready to set up clinics rapidly to meet demand noting “We’ll continuously open up what we call pop-up swabbing centres, this week we’ve opened two in North Dublin, in Castleknock & the inner city Dublin and that’s always part of our strategy to open up centres & increase the level of centres based on where the need is, we’ll respond where the cases are emerging, where the demand needs & we’ll open up centres, we’ll extend the number of centres & we’ll extend the weekend .opening where the cases arise”.
While there is a significant number of new cases in Dublin Dr Glynn also says “It is important to look at the day’s figures in the context of our seven and 14 day incidence rates. NPHET pays close attention to trends and patterns in the data over time in order to analyse the progression of COVID-19 both across the country and in particular areas or settings.”
He adds “However, it is now really important that people in Dublin keep their social contacts as low as possible. It is also vitally important that if you feel unwell, you self-isolate immediately. Phone your GP without delay if you have a concern. Know the symptoms to pay close attention to – cough, shortness of breath, fever, loss of sense of taste or smell.
Dr Glynn also reminded people that’s it’s important to come forward for testing if you’ve any concerns pointing out “Remember that if you do need a test, it will be free.”
