'Third wave clearly underway': No deaths and 727 new Covid-19 cases in Ireland

This evening, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) confirmed there have been no further deaths related to Covid-19 in Ireland.

The death toll remains at 2,158.

The HPSC has been notified of 727 new confirmed cases.

There is now a total of 80,267 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the Republic. This figure reflects the denotification of two confirmed cases.

As of 2pm this afternoon, there are 241 Covid-19 patients in hospital, of which 29 are in ICU.

There have been 18 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan said the current trends are "gravely concerning".

"The situation has deteriorated rapidly in recent days. A total of 3,837 cases have been notified in the past seven days.

"The five-day rolling average has increased from 339 on December 17 to 616 on December 21, an 82% increase.

It is now as important as it was back in March to limit your contacts and protect your loved ones.

Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the Nphet Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said Ireland is "clearly now in a third wave".

Prof Nolan said: "The virus is transmitting very rapidly, faster than we have seen at any point since March.

"The case numbers are growing at least 5-7% per day and, of particular concern, across all age groups."

Dr Cillian De Gascun, Medical Virologist and Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, said that to date, the novel SARS-CoV-2 UK variant has not been detected in Ireland.

However, as we know the variant has been circulating in the UK since September, therefore we cannot exclude the possibility that the variant is already in Ireland.

"We are prioritising the sequencing of cases with confirmed or suspected links to the UK.”

In the last seven days, 3,373 cases have been reported compared to just under 2,000 in the seven days before that marking a 71% increase.

The incidence is rising across all age groups.

The national 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 currently stands at 122.4. This is up 39 from last Monday, December 13 when the rate was 83.4.

Three counties have a 14-day incidence rate above 200 - Donegal at 273.9, Louth at 240.5 and Kilkenny at 226.7.

Of the 727 cases confirmed today, Dublin accounts for the largest number with 311 located in the capital.

It is followed by 51 cases in Kilkenny, 48 in Wexford, 44 in both Donegal and Cork.

The remaining 229 cases are spread across 19 other counties.

The latest update from the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (INMO) revealed that of the 1,957 Covid-19 cases reported between December 6 and 12, 14% were healthcare workers.

Of those 283 cases reported among healthcare workers, 80 were among nurses who are the single largest group of infected among healthcare workers.

Since March, 16% (12,566) of all Covid-19 cases reported have been healthcare workers.

Meanwhile, the Government is deciding when to re-impose heightened Covid-19 restrictions.

The three coalition party leaders will meet this evening with the Health Minister and the Chief Medical Officer to discuss the way forward.

Nphet has recommended both be done on December 28 - however, ministers wanted to leave it later.

In the light of the new strain of Covid-19 in the UK and the resulting travel ban, Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien says it is likely the dates will be brought forward.

"I would imagine that will be the case, we will discuss it tomorrow as a Cabinet.

"We want people to have a meaningful Christmas, we want people to have time with their families. 

Things change very quickly with this virus and this virus shows no regard for the best-laid plans.

"I would envisage that there will be some alterations to the original timeframe that we put out of January 6."

There was positive news today as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted “a conditional marketing authorisation” for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

.@EMA_News have recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for the #COVID19Vaccine Comirnaty, developed by BioNTech/Pfizer. @TheHPRA Chief Executive Lorraine Nolan outlines the regulatory process and why vaccines are safe pic.twitter.com/C4ihUoEzQw

— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) December 21, 2020

The vaccine could be rolled out in the EU within days after the EMA said the vaccine has met its standards for quality, safety and efficacy.

Ireland will get just over two million doses and the rollout could start by the end of the week.

The EMA also believes it is likely the vaccine will be effective against the new strain of coronavirus.

Executive director Emer Cooke says today's decision is a historic moment.

"Vaccines alone will not be the silver bullet that will allow us to return to normal life but the authorisation of this first vaccine is definitely a major step in the right direction and an indication that 2021 can be brighter than 2020."

Dr Lorraine Nolan, Chief Executive, Health Products Regulatory Authority, said: “Today we welcome a highly significant announcement from the European Medicines Agency in their recommendation to approve the first vaccine for Covid-19 in Europe.

"It is a key development in our continued efforts to tackling this pandemic. This will become one additional defence in our suite of public health actions to protect us from Covid-19.”

Dr Nolan said the vaccination will serve as just one additional measure in the continued fight against the coronavirus.

She said that everyone should continue to follow public health advice, maintain social distance, keep up hygiene practices, and limit contacts.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has also welcomed the announcement by EMA and paid tribute to the health care workers who will move to administer the vaccine to the public.

"They have worked selflessly all year to protect us from the worst impacts of Covid-19 and will continue to do so as the vaccine becomes available.

"We all have a role to play in supporting their heroic efforts by trying our best to avoid catching and transmitting this virus over the coming festive period.”