COVID-19

BREAKING: 500 new cases of COVID-19 in Ireland

BREAKING: 500 new cases of COVID-19 in Ireland

The Department of Health have confirmed that a further 28 people have died in the Republic of Ireland from COVID-19

263 people have now lost their life due to the virus since it arrived in Ireland.

There have been 500 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the Republic of Ireland, up on yesterday's figure of 365.

6,574 have now been diagnosed with COVID-19 south of the border.

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The total number of Northern Irish deaths in the coronavirus outbreak has reached 82 after four more deaths were confirmed in the past 24 hours.

It brings the total on the island to 345.

Tomorrow the government is expected to announce an extension of the current restrictions, with Minister for Health Simon Harris anticipating that restrictions will continue for 'a period of weeks.'

People are being urged not to visit their holiday homes over the bank holiday weekend, with an infectious disease specialist saying a flaunting of the rules could turn this weekend into Ireland's 'Cheltenham' situation, where tens of thousands accelerated the spread of the disease at the famous racing festival.

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"If everyone, for example, in the population centres of the East, that are very heavily affected with coronavirus" said Dr Paddy Mallen.

"If they all decided to take off at the weekend, this weekend will be our Cheltenham." And we'll be sitting in two weeks with an absolute disaster.

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