We need to stick with it.

This evening’s figures from the Department of Health show that a further 38 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Ireland.

There have been no further deaths from the virus.

A total of 85 new cases were confirmed in the Republic yesterday, representing the highest increase in two months. The total number of cases in this country is now 26,065.

There has now been a total of 1,763 #COVID19 related deaths in Ireland.

As of midnight Thursday 30th July, @hpscireland has been notified of 38 confirmed cases of #COVID19. There is now a total of 26,065 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Ireland.

Visit https://t.co/RjyC3RrpgD

— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) July 31, 2020

Tweeting ahead of the weekend, CEO of the Health Service Executive Paul Reid said that, while yesterday’s sharp increase in cases is a concern, ‘it doesn’t need to be a trend”.

“The performance of this virus is all about what we do today.” Mr Reid tweeted. “Enjoy your weekend, keep your distance, wear a mask. Don’t be scared…be diligent…be safe.”

What can we do?

Earlier today, the HSE issued a series of reminders on key parts of the Covid-19 guidelines, particularly in relation to shopping trips and meet-ups with friends and family over the bank holiday:

• Outdoor gatherings: The advice for anyone attending an outdoor gathering is to stay 2m away from anyone you don’t live with and avoid sharing food or other items such as rugs or glasses. The HSE also advises keeping a log of people you meet each day.
• Shopping: The public is advised to avoid crowds this weekend, keep shopping trips short and wear a face mask while indoors. 20 seconds of handwashing is recommended every time you return home, with hand sanitiser use recommended in between.

“Over the coming days it is vital that everyone continues to avoid large crowds, physically distance, wear face coverings where appropriate and wash hands regularly,” warned Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer.

“At times I think people think that this is all over, that they don’t need to apply those to themselves and that maybe someone else will get sick – none of us are immune from this, and we need to treat everybody that we come into contact with as potentially infectious,” he added.