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DUBLIN A new strain of COVID-19 that reached Ireland from the United Kingdom is spreading faster than the country’s most pessimistic forecasts, Prime Minister Micheal Martin said on Wednesday.
“While international research for this new variant is ongoing, it is already very clear that we are dealing with a strain of the disease that spreads much, much more quickly,” Martin said in a televised address announcing a tightening of public-health restrictions for the next four weeks.
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Ireland Steps Up Coronavirus Restrictions Amid Serious Case Rises
Wed, 30th Dec 2020 19:25
(Alliance News) - Ireland on Wednesday announced tightening of coronavirus restrictions for at least a month, as Prime Minister Micheal Martin warned infection rates were growing exponentially . We must return to full-scale level 5 restrictions for a period of at least one month, Martin said in a televised address, calling the situation extremely serious .
New measures include closure of non-essential retail and gyms from Thursday evening, Martin said.
He said this was necessary after a 61% increase in confirmed cases over the last week. We will do what we need to do to suppress the virus, he said. It is now growing exponentially.
Ireland is to return to a full lockdown for at least a month and will extent school holidays in a bid to curb a surge in the new mutant strain of COVID-19 which originated in the UK. Prime minister Micheal Martin announced on Wednesday that the virus is now spreading faster than all previous forecasts.
Ireland had one of the lowest infection rates in Europe a few weeks ago, but its five-day average has more than tripled over the past two weeks to over 1,200 cases a day following an easing of public health measures ahead of Christmas.
On Wednesday, Ireland s National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) reported 1,718 new cases and 13 further deaths.
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Ireland on Wednesday announced tightening of coronavirus restrictions for at least a month, as Prime Minister Micheal Martin warned infection rates were growing exponentially . We must return to full-scale level 5 restrictions for a period of at least one month, Martin said in a televised address, calling the situation extremely serious .
New measures include closure of non-essential retail and gyms from Thursday evening, Martin said.
He said this was necessary after a 61 percent increase in confirmed cases over the last week. We will do what we need to do to suppress the virus, he said. It is now growing exponentially.
New COVID-19 strain spreading faster than all forecasts - Irish PM
FILE PHOTO: Ireland s Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Micheal Martin speaks as he arrives to attend a face-to-face EU summit amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown in Brussels, Belgium December 10, 2020. John Thys/Pool via REUTERS reuters tickers
This content was published on December 30, 2020 - 19:41
December 30, 2020 - 19:41
DUBLIN (Reuters) - A new strain of COVID-19 that reached Ireland from the United Kingdom is spreading faster than the country s most pessimistic forecasts, Prime Minister Micheal Martin said on Wednesday. While international research for this new variant is ongoing, it is already very clear that we are dealing with a strain of the disease that spreads much, much more quickly, Martin said in a televised address announcing a tightening of public-health restrictions for the next four weeks.