A further 10 people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in the Republic of Ireland have died, the Department of Health confirmed.
It brings the total number of deaths related to the outbreak of coronavirus here to 46.
Six of the people who passed away were located in the east of the country, three were in the northwest and one in the south. The median age of today’s reported deaths is 77.
Eight of the patients were male and two were female.
An additional 200 new cases of the virus have also been confirmed in the Republic, with 2,615 people now having tested positive for COVID-19 as of 1pm today.
In terms of the island of Ireland, a total of 103 coronavirus-related deaths have now been recorded.
It comes after an additional six people who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 died in Northern Ireland.
410 new cases were also confirmed today, bringing the total number of cases across the Republic and Northern Ireland to over 3000.
The HPSC has been informed of 200 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland as of 1pm, Sunday 29 March.
There are now 2,615 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) March 29, 2020
Data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre relating to today's figures shows that, as of midnight on Friday, 564 patients with COVID-19 have been hospitalised.
506 healthcare workers have tested positive for the virus.
Dublin has the highest number of cases at 56%, while there are 103 clusters nationwide.
Commenting this evening, the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said: "Today, we are informed of a further 10 deaths. Our condolences are with the family and friends of all patients who have died as a result of COVID-19.
“While we continue to build our capacity for intensive care, our strategy remains to prevent people from needing intensive care in the first place.
“We know the virus will not survive if we prevent it from passing among ourselves. The enhanced restrictions announced on Friday aim to slow down and restrict the spread of the virus.
“We are asking everyone to embrace the new restrictions and follow public health advice to stay home and restrict your movements for the next two weeks. It is in all our hands to interrupt the spread of this virus.”
It follows a COVID-19 media briefing held by the HSE at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin today.
The venue is set to be turned into an isolation centre for people who cannot do so elsewhere, while the adjoining conference centre will also become a step-down facility for people who contracted coronavirus but who no longer require critical care.
Today we announced our 1st major Isolation facility to help tackle #COVID19. Based in City West Hotel, providing 750 rooms (1100 beds). There, we will also have 600 overflow beds for step down care from hospitals, which we hope not to use, but we have to prepare. @HSELive pic.twitter.com/RlXKIWgN2P
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) March 29, 2020
It was confirmed at the meeting that 88 people are in intensive care due to coronavirus but no hospital has reached its ICU capacity.
The HSE also said the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in Ireland could be in less than two weeks, and predicted that the number of cases here could reach its height between April 10th and April 14th.
Meanwhile, a shipment of personal protective equipment for health workers is due to begin being distributed tonight after a flight carrying almost €30m in supplies landed at Dublin Airport this afternoon.
The Aer Lingus flight, which made the round trip, was the first of a number of flights delivering over €200m worth of PPE to the country.
