Health officials have announced one further coronavirus-related death and 11 new confirmed cases.

It takes the death toll in Ireland to 1,727 and the total number of cases to 25,405.

In a statement, the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said he was concerned overseas travel could cause an increase in cases in the coming months.

The Cabinet is considering plans to open ‘air bridges’ with EU countries that have low numbers of cases.

The proposal would see the removal of quarantine regulations for people travelling to and from those countries.

He said the National Public Health Emergency Team had noted increases in cases in a number of countries at its meeting this morning.

“7% of cases notified in Ireland over the past fortnight have been associated with travel,” he said.

“NPHET expressed a clear view that overseas travel poses a risk to importation of the disease and to further transmission in Ireland.

“The ECDC has recently warned that the pandemic is not over. Ireland has made significant gains in suppressing COVID-19. Our task over the coming weeks and months is maintaining these gains.”

He also warned that over a third of the patients diagnosed in the past two weeks were under 35 years of age.

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said it is essential that people remain aware of the risks and follow public health advice.

“COVID-19 is accelerating globally with four million cases recorded in the last month,” he said.

“Considering the international experience with the disease, we cannot afford complacency. Continue to be aware of the risks and follow the public health advice designed to protect individuals.”