So far this month, 878 people have died from Covid-19.

January’s shocking death toll was revealed by Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health last night as he issued a plea to the public to “keep going” and adhere to Level 5 restrictions.

With a further 47 deaths and 1,466 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in the past 24 hours, 1,567 Covid-19 patients are currently hospitalised, of which 216 are in ICU.

Of the latest cases, 472 are in Dublin, with 106 in Galway, 103 in Cork, 77 in Waterford, 70 in Limerick and the remaining 638 cases spread across all other counties.

“Incidence is falling but remains high,” said Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health.

“It is positive to see numbers of people hospitalised reducing and a stabilisation of numbers in ICU.

“However, we are continuing to experience high mortality with 878 deaths so far in January. I am concerned about the high incidence we are seeing in long-term care settings and vulnerable groups. Our efforts to stay home and break transmission of the disease will save lives. Please continue to follow the public health advice and support each other to keep going.”

Ireland still has “a long way to go”

Dr Lorraine Doherty, National Clinical Director of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), warned that it only takes one event to spark a chain of transmission of Covid-19 that can spread through a community.

“We have seen examples of outbreaks in a workplace that has led to multiple outbreaks in families and other work settings, and these ultimately lead to a higher incidence in the community and threatens the most vulnerable to Covid-19,” said Dr Doherty.

“Every action an individual takes matters.”

This evening at the #NPHET press briefing in the Department, Dr Lorraine Doherty from the @hselive @hpscireland showed a series of slides demonstrating how one #COVID19 case can trigger an outbreak, which can lead to several more outbreaks.

Every contact counts. #StayHome

1/4 pic.twitter.com/B2AsUzkgG5

— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) January 28, 2021

Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said that suppression of transmission has been achieved, with the R number estimated at 0.4-0.7, but Ireland still has “a long way to go”.

“We must maintain full suppression for several weeks if we are to achieve strategic options for the future. If we keep this up, we would be down to 200-400 cases per day by the end of February.” Professor Nolan said.