The fourteen-day average is creeping up.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) will meet later today to discuss the spread of Covid-19 and to decide on whether the risk rating should be increased from Level Two to Level Three in counties outside of Dublin.

A further 234 new cases of coronavirus were reported on Wednesday. Two more people lost their lives to the disease. The 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 people is now 71.59, a significant increase on last week’s 53.

Of the patients currently fighting the virus, 94 are in hospital, with 17 confirmed cases in intensive care units.

While Dublin struggles to contain the latest spike in cases, cases are also increasing in Donegal, Louth, Kildare, Offaly, Wicklow, Waterford and Cork. Experts are particularly concerned about the number of new cases in patients aged over 65, a figure that is now four times higher than it was in August.

Each time you wash your hands, you step back to remain socially distant, you cancel plans that breach guidelines, you remember halfway there that you forgot a mask and go back to get one – Every one of these decisions add up to a huge contribution in the fight against Covid-19

— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) September 23, 2020

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly asked the public to keep adhering to hygiene and social distancing rules:

“Each time you wash your hands, you step back to remain socially distant, you cancel plans that breach guidelines, you remember halfway there that you forgot a mask and go back to get one – Every one of these decisions add up to a huge contribution in the fight against Covid-19.” he tweeted.