Ireland's top doctor has warned coronavirus "is still out there and has not gone away" as the country saw the biggest cases spike in a single day since May.
A total of 200 cases were confirmed to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre today, leading acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn to describe the development as "deeply concerning".
It's the largest single-day report since May 14, when 10 deaths and 426 cases were announced.
While there were no deaths, he said we "now have multiple clusters with secondary spread of disease and rising numbers of cases in many parts of the country".
Dr Glynn said: "This is the largest number of cases in a single day since the beginning of May.
"We now have multiple clusters with secondary spread of disease and rising numbers of cases in many parts of the country.
"This is deeply concerning.
"NPHET will monitor this extremely closely over the coming days.
“This virus is still out there and has not gone away. COVID-19 seeks to capitalise on complacency and is just waiting for the opportunity to spread.
"I am asking everyone, especially those who are over 70 or medically vulnerable, to limit your contacts, keep your distance from other people and take extra care to heed public health advice."
Sinn Fein Health Spokesperson David Cullinane said today's figures are "alarming" every effort must be taken to wrestle back control over the virus.
He said: “We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to wrestle back control of the virus. Every effort must be made to reduce the risk of increased community transmission and to prevent further spikes.
“Today’s figures raise the sound of alarm bells and highlight once again how much is at stake.
“With three counties subject to added restrictions and schools preparing for reopening in just a few weeks, we need a big effort to get us back on track."
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