© PA Wire/PA Images Ireland's Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan at a news conference at Government Buildings in Dublin after Irish premier Leo Varadkar announced that all schools, colleges and childcare facilities in Ireland will close until March 29 as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. (Photo by Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images) HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed a further 77 people who contracted Covid-19 have died in Ireland.

The Department of Health confirmed this evening that there are 401 new cases of coronavirus in the country.

The total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland now stands at 15,652 and there have been a total of 687 deaths.

Of the 77 new deaths, some 67 were located in the east of the country, four in the west, four in the north-west, and two in the south.

The median age of today’s reported deaths is 84.

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Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said the large number of deaths reported today does not mean the deaths occurred in the past 24 hours, but rather it is the number of notifications that the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) received. Holohan also warned against the public assuming measures will be largely relaxed in the coming weeks.

“We’ve been clear all along we need these measures to stay in place, we need to see further progress… we’ll make the evaluation on a continuing basis about the progress of the disease,” he said.

“For now, the message absolutely is no complacency, there’s no room for taking our foot off the gas.”

© Sam Boal Dr Tony Holohan at the nightly briefing in the Department of Health. 17 April.

He said the NPHET will make a recommendation towards the end of next week to Government, who will make a decision on whether to relax or extend current measures in place until 5 May.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health Simon Harris earlier today also warned the public not to become complacent about the lockdown measures that have been implemented. Varadkar said that anecdotally, “there does seem to have been an increase in traffic and an increase in people out and about”.

Gallery: Ireland in the coronavirus crisis (Photo Services)

Anyone who may have been in contact with a person who has COVID-19, is advised to contact HSE Live via 1850 24 1850 or on the HSE website here

If you are unwell with a cough, especially with respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, high temperature, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fever) you should isolate yourself immediately and phone your GP

If you have a COVID-19 related travel query, you can call the dedicated advice centre on (01)613 1733.

Follow the government’s latest travel advice here