skip to main content

42 new cases of Covid-19 and no further deaths

Updated / Monday, 31 Aug 2020 09:17
The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Ireland remains at 1,777
The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Ireland remains at 1,777

There have been 42 new cases of Covid-19 and no further deaths notified to the Department of Health in the past 24 hours.

This is the lowest number of cases reported on a Sunday since 26 July.

This brings the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Ireland to 1,777 with confirmed cases now at 28,760. This includes the denotification of two previously confirmed cases.

Fifteen are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case while six cases have been identified as community transmission.

Of the latest cases, 24 are in Dublin, six in Limerick, and the remaining 12 are located in Carlow, Clare, Galway, Kildare, Longford, Offaly, and Sligo.

71% are under 45 years of age and include 20 men and 22 women.

Earlier today, the President of the Irish College of General Practitioners said evidence shows that schools are a low-risk environment for children in relation to contracting Covid-19, and that while people must be vigilant for symptoms, the average child can go to school.

Speaking on RTÉ's Brendan O'Connor programme, Dr Mary Favier said the reality is that children have been getting coronavirus across the summer, albeit in low numbers in Ireland.

She said evidence shows that schools are a relatively low-risk environment and that kids are more likely to get it at home, rather than at school.

Dr Favier said we need to be vigilant for the symptoms, but the average child can go to school.

"The reality is that children have been getting Covid across the summer, very few of them in Ireland, but they have, and the evidence is that schools are a relatively low-risk environment," she said.

"The evidence, while it's limited because there haven't been many kids going to schools over the summer internationally, is that it's children that bring Covid into schools rather than get it at school, so we need to be vigilant for the symptoms, but the average child can continue to go to school."

She said "this is a different winter", as kids are going back to school as normal, but it is not normal.

As schools reopen, challenge now is to keep them open

Dr Favier said lots of children with runny noses who are otherwise well can go to school, but if they have additional symptoms, such as a new cough or a shortness of breath, they could potentially need testing and should stay home from school.

She said that a child who is indicated for testing, as well as their immediate family members, must restrict their movements for 48 hours.

Dr Favier said if there is a Covid-positive test in a school, then public health will give the advice to the school and the parents of other children, whether it is in a pod or a bubble, about what needs to be done next.

Meanwhile, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has rated Ireland’s incidence of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people over the past 14 days as 31.2, down from 32.3 yesterday.

Spain is still at the top of the list at 205.5, with 439,286 confirmed cases of the virus and 29,011 deaths. 

The latest ECDC figures comes as John Hopkins University reports that the number of Covid-19 cases worldwide has reached 25 million.

In Northern Ireland, another 49 people have tested positive for Covid-19, the department of health has said.

It brings the total number of confirmed cases to 7,187.

No new deaths were reported, with the total death toll there staying at 560.

Read more coronavirus stories

More stories on