HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE confirmed a further 44 reported deaths of patients diagnosed with Covid-19 and 388 new cases of the disease in Ireland.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Ireland to 16,040. The total lab-confirmed deaths related to Covid-19 is now at 730.

There are a further 108 deaths of suspected Covid-19 patients in residential care settings, reported by public health teams. These deaths will be included in official lab-confirmed figures once their results are confirmed.

Of the 44 deaths reported today, 37 were located in the east, two were in the west, two in the north-west and three in the south of the country.

Today’s new reported deaths included 26 females and 18 males, and the median age was 87. 33 people were reported as having underlying health conditions.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) met earlier today to discuss the latest developments in the outbreak in Ireland.

WATCH: Latest update from Department of Health as 44 more people diagnosed with Covid-19 have died | Read more coverage: https://t.co/bzVFVZQD23 https://t.co/Hb7xvRm4kc — RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 21, 2020 Source: RTÉ News /Twitter

The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has warned against the public presuming measures will be largely relaxed in the coming weeks.

Speaking at the briefing tonight, he said that there can’t be any “taking the foot off the gas”, as we approach 5 May, when the latest bout of restrictions are due to be lifted.

“We don’t want to fall at the last hurdle,” he said.

Holohan said that 55% of all cases of Covid-19 had recovered in the community, ie, without the need for hospitalisation.

Dr Cillian De Gascun said today that there have been 111,584 tests have been carried out to date, which represents an increase of over 20,00 in the last week. 4,025 positive, 19% positive.

On turnaround time for testing, De Gascun said that from the time it gets to the lab in UCD, it takes 24-36 hours to receive a test result.

“The turnaround times are very good at the moment,” he said.