A FURTHER 126 new cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland were announced this evening by health officials, bringing the total number of cases to 683.

Three people diagnosed with the coronavirus have so far died in the Republic.

12 people with Covid-19 have been admitted to an Intensive Care Unit, representing 8.6% of all cases hospitalised. 29% of those in hospital from the disease are aged 65 or over.

Nine new cases were confirmed in Northern Ireland today, bringing their total number of cases to 86. So far one person with Covid-19 has died in the North.

Community transmission accounts for 40% of cases in the Republic where the transmission type is known.

51% of all confirmed cases are located in Dublin and 15% in Cork.

Yesterday, 191 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed by health officials. Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the median age of those diagnosed here is 43.

Holohan said this evening that he would not want people to take something “in a positive way” from the decrease in results today compared to yesterday’s increase.

“The cases reported today would have been infected at least seven days ago before the onset of symptoms began,” he said.

He said the country will not yet be seeing the full impact of social distancing measures put in place last week by the government.

In a statement this evening, Holohan said: “Now is not the time for complacency. Every citizen who is practicing social distancing, who is taking precautions to limit the spread of this virus, is doing their country a service.

Ireland will “likely” have to impose social restrictions beyond 29 March, the head of the HSE’s Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group Cillian de Gascun warned last night.

A bill giving the government emergency detention powers during the Covid-19 crisis passed through the Seanad this afternoon.

The government has also announced plans for a temporary ban on evictions for the duration of the crisis.

The worldwide death toll from the virus has now reached more than 10,000 people.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), there are now nearly 250,000 cases of Covid-19 around the world.

With reporting by Sean Murray.