theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Coronavirus: Two patients die in 48 hours amid clusters in Armagh hospital

Two patients who were being treated in a hospital ward in Co Armagh that is at the centre of a coronavirus cluster have died in the last 48 hours .
The patients , who both tested positive for Covid-19 , were receiving treatment in the haematology ward at Craigavon Area Hospital , the Southern Health and Social Care Trust confirmed on Friday .
A third patient who had Covid-19 who had been treated on the ward has also died , after being discharged , but the disease was not the primary cause of death , the trust said .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the novel coronavirus got into the hospital .
The North ’ s Minister for Health , Robin Swann , described the deaths as “ extremely distressing and disturbing ” , while the trust said it was “ profoundly sorry ” and extended its “ deepest sympathies to the family and friends of those who have passed away ” .
Northern Ireland reported one more coronavirus-related death on Friday , bringing the total number of fatalities related to Covid-19 recorded by the North ’ s Department of Health ( DoH ) to 564 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The daughter of one of the patients who died at Craigavon Area Hospital told the BBC her father had been suffering from bone cancer but had been given a life expectancy of up to 10 years .
Yvonne Fleming said her father John “ fought really strong and hard , he gave it everything , but when I went in to see him he said , ‘ I didn ’ t bargain for this , I don ’ t want to die , I ’ m afraid of dying .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing me , it ’ s Covid.
’ ” She said her father had asked her to tell his story to help other families .
“ What I would like to know and what my mother would like to know is how the virus got through the hospital ’ s defences into his ward .
We can ’ t get our head round it.
” Responding to the comments , Southern Trust medical director Dr Maria O ’ Kane said she could “ completely understand what her concern is in relation to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly enough , we are extremely sorry that this has happened ” .
“ The Southern Trust has made clear that a detailed investigation is ongoing following the clusters at the [ Craigavon ] hospital , ” Mr Swann said .
“ This situation demands a thorough and expeditious investigation.
” He said patients and bereaved families were “ entitled to answers ” and he would “ continue to closely monitor the management of these clusters ” .
A total of 14 patients in Craigavon hospital ’ s haematology ward have tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cluster , as well as 17 members of staff , who are off work and currently self-isolating , as are an additional 42 staff members who have been identified as potential contacts .
The ward is closed to new admissions .
Clusters have also been identified in other areas in the hospital .
The trust said two members of staff and one patient have tested positive for Covid-19 in Ward 3 South , and 14 members of staff are self-isolating as a result .
Cases had previously been identified in the hospital ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on Friday that this department was operating as normal .
According to the daily coronavirus bulletin released by the DoH on Friday , a total of 61 new cases of Covid-19 were identified in the North in the last 24 hours .
The total number of cases recorded by the DoH since the start of the pandemic now stands at 7,503 .
There have been 439 additional cases in the North in the past seven days , with almost 90 per cent of those in people under 60 .
Many of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ category , where 186 cases were confirmed in the past week , while 111 of the cases were in people aged between 40-59 and 90 in those aged 19 and under .
The North ’ s chief scientific officer , Prof Ian Young , told the BBC this was because younger people – particularly those under 35 – were limiting their social contact much less than those in the older age groups .
However , the number of hospital admissions with the disease remains relatively low , as younger people are less likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are currently 17 people with coronavirus in hospital in the North , with three in intensive care .
The greatest number of new cases is in Belfast , where 147 people tested positive for the virus in the past seven days .
Meanwhile , two people in the North were this week fined £1,000 each for failing to follow the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days after returning following international travel to certain countries .
In total , the Police Service of Northern Ireland ( PSNI ) has issued 497 fines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30th .
Separate figures released by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency ( Nisra ) earlier on Friday recorded two coronavirus-related deaths in the week ending August 28th .
The total number of coronavirus-related fatalities in the North recorded by Nisra since the beginning of the outbreak there stands at 873 until August 28th , more than 300 more than the figure recorded by the DoH for the same period .
Northern Ireland produces two sets of data on coronavirus-related deaths .
The DoH ’ s figures are based on patients who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nisra figures are based on information entered on death certificates by medical professionals , and include deaths where there may or may not have been a previous positive test for coronavirus .
Of the 873 fatalities recorded by Nisra , 462 ( 52.9 per cent ) occurred in hospital , 351 ( 40.2 per cent ) in care homes and eight ( 0.9 per cent ) in hospices .
The 359 deaths in care homes and hospices involved 81 separate establishments , according to Nisra .

Two patients who were being treated in a hospital ward in Co Armagh that is at the centre of a coronavirus cluster have died in the last 48 hours.
The patients, who both tested positive for Covid-19, were receiving treatment in the haematology ward at Craigavon Area Hospital, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust confirmed on Friday.
A third patient who had Covid-19 who had been treated on the ward has also died, after being discharged, but the disease was not the primary cause of death, the trust said.
A review is under way to investigate how the novel coronavirus got into the hospital.
READ MORE
The North's Minister for Health, Robin Swann, described the deaths as "extremely distressing and disturbing", while the trust said it was "profoundly sorry" and extended its "deepest sympathies to the family and friends of those who have passed away".
Northern Ireland reported one more coronavirus-related death on Friday, bringing the total number of fatalities related to Covid-19 recorded by the North's Department of Health (DoH) to 564. Two such deaths were recorded on Thursday.
The daughter of one of the patients who died at Craigavon Area Hospital told the BBC her father had been suffering from bone cancer but had been given a life expectancy of up to 10 years.
Yvonne Fleming said her father John "fought really strong and hard, he gave it everything, but when I went in to see him he said, 'I didn't bargain for this, I don't want to die, I'm afraid of dying. It's not the cancer that's killing me, it's Covid.'"
She said her father had asked her to tell his story to help other families. “What I would like to know and what my mother would like to know is how the virus got through the hospital’s defences into his ward. We can’t get our head round it.”
‘Detailed investigation’
Responding to the comments, Southern Trust medical director Dr Maria O’Kane said she could “completely understand what her concern is in relation to this, I can’t say it strongly enough, we are extremely sorry that this has happened”.
“The Southern Trust has made clear that a detailed investigation is ongoing following the clusters at the [Craigavon] hospital,” Mr Swann said. “This situation demands a thorough and expeditious investigation.”
He said patients and bereaved families were “entitled to answers” and he would “continue to closely monitor the management of these clusters”.
A total of 14 patients in Craigavon hospital’s haematology ward have tested positive for coronavirus in the ward’s cluster, as well as 17 members of staff, who are off work and currently self-isolating, as are an additional 42 staff members who have been identified as potential contacts. The ward is closed to new admissions.
Clusters have also been identified in other areas in the hospital. The trust said two members of staff and one patient have tested positive for Covid-19 in Ward 3 South, and 14 members of staff are self-isolating as a result. Cases had previously been identified in the hospital’s emergency department, but the trust said on Friday that this department was operating as normal.
New cases
According to the daily coronavirus bulletin released by the DoH on Friday, a total of 61 new cases of Covid-19 were identified in the North in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases recorded by the DoH since the start of the pandemic now stands at 7,503.
There have been 439 additional cases in the North in the past seven days, with almost 90 per cent of those in people under 60.
Many of these cases involved people in the 20-39 age category, where 186 cases were confirmed in the past week, while 111 of the cases were in people aged between 40-59 and 90 in those aged 19 and under.
The North's chief scientific officer, Prof Ian Young, told the BBC this was because younger people – particularly those under 35 – were limiting their social contact much less than those in the older age groups.
However, the number of hospital admissions with the disease remains relatively low, as younger people are less likely to require hospital treatment, he said.
There are currently 17 people with coronavirus in hospital in the North, with three in intensive care.
The greatest number of new cases is in Belfast, where 147 people tested positive for the virus in the past seven days.
Fines
Meanwhile, two people in the North were this week fined £1,000 each for failing to follow the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days after returning following international travel to certain countries.
In total, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has issued 497 fines for breaches of coronavirus regulations since March 30th.
Separate figures released by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) earlier on Friday recorded two coronavirus-related deaths in the week ending August 28th.
The total number of coronavirus-related fatalities in the North recorded by Nisra since the beginning of the outbreak there stands at 873 until August 28th, more than 300 more than the figure recorded by the DoH for the same period.
Northern Ireland produces two sets of data on coronavirus-related deaths. The DoH’s figures are based on patients who previously tested positive for Covid-19. The Nisra figures are based on information entered on death certificates by medical professionals, and include deaths where there may or may not have been a previous positive test for coronavirus.
Of the 873 fatalities recorded by Nisra, 462 (52.9 per cent) occurred in hospital, 351 (40.2 per cent) in care homes and eight (0.9 per cent) in hospices.
The 359 deaths in care homes and hospices involved 81 separate establishments, according to Nisra.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Man arrested in relation to ‘invoice redirection frauds’ of €59,000

A fifth person has been arrested as part of Operation Joggle , an investigation into the use of Irish bank accounts to funnel money for an international crime gang .
Officers from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau ( GNECB ) took the man , aged in his early 30s , into custody on Friday .
His arrest is part of an investigation into the proceeds of two suspected “ invoice redirection frauds ” totalling €59,000 .
In a statement , gardai said they believe the funds were received into Irish bank accounts and dispersed by cash withdrawals and international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being held for questioning at Kevin Street garda station as part of the ongoing operation which is focusing on the activities of a West African organised crime group .
Operation Joggle has been ongoing for over a year .
It is suspected that cash received into Irish accounts has been rerouted back to West Africa .
A significant portion of the money has been laundered through companies to disguise its criminal links , a practice known as “ trade-based ” money laundering .
Although the gang is believed to be from West Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to people of various nationalities .
It is suspected of having stolen hundreds of millions of euro globally and some of that has been channelled through Irish accounts .
Last month , another man in his 30s , from Eastern Europe , was arrested for questioning in west Dublin on suspicion his account was used to receive the proceeds of two frauds .

A fifth person has been arrested as part of Operation Joggle, an investigation into the use of Irish bank accounts to funnel money for an international crime gang.
Officers from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) took the man, aged in his early 30s, into custody on Friday.
His arrest is part of an investigation into the proceeds of two suspected “invoice redirection frauds” totalling €59,000.
In a statement, gardai said they believe the funds were received into Irish bank accounts and dispersed by cash withdrawals and international transfers into other accounts.
READ MORE
He was being held for questioning at Kevin Street garda station as part of the ongoing operation which is focusing on the activities of a West African organised crime group.
Operation Joggle has been ongoing for over a year. It is suspected that cash received into Irish accounts has been rerouted back to West Africa.
A significant portion of the money has been laundered through companies to disguise its criminal links, a practice known as “trade-based” money laundering.
Although the gang is believed to be from West Africa, it has used bank accounts belonging to people of various nationalities. It is suspected of having stolen hundreds of millions of euro globally and some of that has been channelled through Irish accounts.
Last month, another man in his 30s, from Eastern Europe, was arrested for questioning in west Dublin on suspicion his account was used to receive the proceeds of two frauds.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Government urged to ensure 20,000 deferred CAO applicants do not lose out

The Government is facing increasing calls to ensure up to 20,000 deferred third-level applicants do not lose out on college places when Leaving Cert grades are released on Monday .
More than one in four college applicants this year has applied on the basis of Leaving Cert results they achieved in previous years .
However , their results risk being devalued after Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed that calculated grades for this year ’ s Leaving Cert class will be “ stronger ” than results in previous years , leading to some grade inflation .
The scale of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Education officials have said adjustments to the calculated grades process were aimed at “ prioritising fairness for the class of 2020 over eliminating grade inflation ” .
Sinn Féin TDs Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire and Rose Conway-Walsh accused the Government of “ completely ignoring ” the cases of those who did their Leaving Cert in previous years .
“ The Government has known this issue was coming down the line for months .
There is no excuse for not having a plan in place .
A plan needs to be communicated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ students who are anxious that they will lose out on places , ” said Ms Conway-Walsh .
Mr Ó Laoghaire said a solution was possible if there was political will to do so , such as ring-fencing a proportion of college places for those affected or adjusting their grades to account for any inflation in this year ’ s marks .
The CAO confirmed in a statement that a total of 20,201 students are applying for college places this year on the basis of results they achieved in the past .
CAO board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if there is significant grade inflation in Monday ’ s results , it would place students with results from previous years at a serious disadvantage .
Unlike the UK college application system , he said the Irish system relies on Leaving Cert results being comparable from year-to-year in the interests of fairness .
“ If the results are not comparable , then you ’ re advantaging any year that gets inflated results , ” he told RTÉ ’ s Today with Claire Byrne show .
“ If this year ’ s Leaving Certs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those 20,000.
” Prof Ó Dochartaigh said the idea of ring-fencing places for college students was problematic as the CAO did not have any legal basis on which to do this .
If they did , he said colleges would expose themselves to potential litigation from students who felt they were unfairly denied places .
For example , a student from this year ’ s cohort of Leaving Cert students who ended up losing out on a college place due to spaces being ring-fenced could sue the college concerned .
“ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolve by opening ourselves to litigation .
The ball is fairly and squarely in the Department of Education ’ s court , ” he said .
He also said the idea of adjusting grades of prior Leaving Cert students to account for any grade inflation in 2020 was very difficult due to the tight turnaround time in processing results .
Any attempt to do this , he said , would likely result in a delay in offers to all college students and might affect the start of the academic year .
A department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,250 additional higher education places in “ high demand ” courses was partly aimed at easing points pressure .
She emphasised that a standardisation process has been applied to this year ’ s calculated grades to ensure they are as close as possible to the grade profile for previous years .
This year ’ s calculated grade results , meanwhile , are due to be released online at 9am on Monday .
Students also have the option of receiving their results at their school .
The CAO first round offers will follow on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers will be available online .
The department has advised schools they should enable students to come to their school if they wish to collect their results or seek support over the phone at a scheduled time .
It has advised school managers that they will have discretion to release guidance counsellors and other members of the support team from lessons , using the supervision and substitution scheme .
Schools will have the flexibility to ask some classes of current students not to attend on that day to ensure adequate social distancing in @ @

One in four college applicants this year has applied on the basis of Leaving Cert results they achieved in previous years.
The Government is facing increasing calls to ensure up to 20,000 deferred third-level applicants do not lose out on college places when Leaving Cert grades are released on Monday.
More than one in four college applicants this year has applied on the basis of Leaving Cert results they achieved in previous years.
However, their results risk being devalued after Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed that calculated grades for this year's Leaving Cert class will be "stronger" than results in previous years, leading to some grade inflation.
The scale of the rise is not yet known, but Department of Education officials have said adjustments to the calculated grades process were aimed at “prioritising fairness for the class of 2020 over eliminating grade inflation”.
READ MORE
Sinn Féin TDs Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire and Rose Conway-Walsh accused the Government of “completely ignoring” the cases of those who did their Leaving Cert in previous years.
“The Government has known this issue was coming down the line for months. There is no excuse for not having a plan in place. A plan needs to be communicated. I have heard from so many stressed students who are anxious that they will lose out on places,” said Ms Conway-Walsh.
Political will
Mr Ó Laoghaire said a solution was possible if there was political will to do so, such as ring-fencing a proportion of college places for those affected or adjusting their grades to account for any inflation in this year’s marks.
The CAO confirmed in a statement that a total of 20,201 students are applying for college places this year on the basis of results they achieved in the past.
CAO board chair Prof Pól Ó Dochartaigh said that if there is significant grade inflation in Monday’s results, it would place students with results from previous years at a serious disadvantage. Unlike the UK college application system, he said the Irish system relies on Leaving Cert results being comparable from year-to-year in the interests of fairness.
"If the results are not comparable, then you're advantaging any year that gets inflated results," he told RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne show. "If this year's Leaving Certs have inflated grades, it will disadvantage those 20,000."
Prof Ó Dochartaigh said the idea of ring-fencing places for college students was problematic as the CAO did not have any legal basis on which to do this. If they did, he said colleges would expose themselves to potential litigation from students who felt they were unfairly denied places.
For example, a student from this year’s cohort of Leaving Cert students who ended up losing out on a college place due to spaces being ring-fenced could sue the college concerned.
“This is not for the third level sector to resolve by opening ourselves to litigation. The ball is fairly and squarely in the Department of Education’s court,” he said.
Tight turnaround
He also said the idea of adjusting grades of prior Leaving Cert students to account for any grade inflation in 2020 was very difficult due to the tight turnaround time in processing results.
Any attempt to do this, he said, would likely result in a delay in offers to all college students and might affect the start of the academic year.
A department spokeswoman said the provision of more than 1,250 additional higher education places in “high demand” courses was partly aimed at easing points pressure. She emphasised that a standardisation process has been applied to this year’s calculated grades to ensure they are as close as possible to the grade profile for previous years.
This year’s calculated grade results, meanwhile, are due to be released online at 9am on Monday. Students also have the option of receiving their results at their school. The CAO first round offers will follow on Friday afternoon. All results and college offers will be available online.
The department has advised schools they should enable students to come to their school if they wish to collect their results or seek support over the phone at a scheduled time.
It has advised school managers that they will have discretion to release guidance counsellors and other members of the support team from lessons, using the supervision and substitution scheme.
Schools will have the flexibility to ask some classes of current students not to attend on that day to ensure adequate social distancing in schools.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--What you need to know about the State’s far-reaching new plan to cut waste

“ A whole new waste plan for the country ” is how Minister for Communications , Climate Action and Environment Eamon Ryan describes the newly launched national waste policy for the next five years .
With 200 separate measures , the blueprint will “ effect real change and allow us to be one of the leading countries in Europe ” in spreading the responsibility for waste among producers and manufacturers as well as customers , Mr Ryan said .
Here are some of the main points in the plan : – A deposit and return scheme which will see reverse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottles and cans with what is likely to be a voucher redeemable in shops ; – A “ latte levy ” on disposable coffee cups from 2022 , followed by their being banned .
Similar levies are proposed for containers for cold drinks and fast food ; – Standardised bin colours across the State on a phased basis , with black for general waste , green for recycling , and brown for organic waste ; – A waste oversight body to be set up for consumer complaints ; – A clampdown on householders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fines for the worst offenders ; – Bin companies to be obliged to provide every customer with a brown organic waste bin ; – A single-use plastic ban starting next July , with all packaging to be reusable or recyclable by 2030 ; – A ban on multi-buy packs or “ buy one , get one free ” offers in supermarkets , which contribute to 30 per cent of food waste , according to research ; – Retailers potentially being prohibited from throwing out food ahead of its use-by date , and making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Measures to encourage more recycled materials in construction , with possible levies for sites that don ’ t separate waste in skips ; – A levy on “ fast fashion ” , covering cheap clothes as well as footwear and interior furnishings like carpets , curtains , bedding and furniture , so people buy “ quality rather than quantity ” ; – A “ textile action group ” to be set up to work with Irish designers and retailers to promote “ eco-design ” ; – More fixed penalty notices for breaches of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ container holding up to 3 litres will be banned from 2024 , unless the cap is attached to the main part of the container ; – Plastic drinks bottles and containers must contain 25 per cent recycled material from January 2025 , rising to 30 per cent by 2030 ; – Producers of packaging will have to cover costs of clean-ups associated with food containers , packets , wrappers , drinks containers , cups and lightweight carrier bags by January 2023 ; – Extended Producer Responsibility ( EPR ) scheme – which holds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ batteries responsible for their disposal – will be expanded to include tobacco companies , balloon makers and manufacturers of wet wipes and fishing gear , and – An eventual ban on wet wipes , as well as on single-use plastic hotel toiletries and packages for restaurant condiments like sugar and sauces .

Cardboard, mattresses, electronics, and metal at a waste processing facility in Dublin. File photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
"A whole new waste plan for the country" is how Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Eamon Ryan describes the newly launched national waste policy for the next five years.
With 200 separate measures, the blueprint will “effect real change and allow us to be one of the leading countries in Europe” in spreading the responsibility for waste among producers and manufacturers as well as customers, Mr Ryan said.
Here are some of the main points in the plan:
– A deposit and return scheme which will see reverse vending machines reward customers for returning plastic bottles and cans with what is likely to be a voucher redeemable in shops;
READ MORE
– A “latte levy” on disposable coffee cups from 2022, followed by their being banned. Similar levies are proposed for containers for cold drinks and fast food;
– Standardised bin colours across the State on a phased basis, with black for general waste, green for recycling, and brown for organic waste;
– A waste oversight body to be set up for consumer complaints;
– A clampdown on householders not segregating waste, with fixed penalty fines for the worst offenders;
– Bin companies to be obliged to provide every customer with a brown organic waste bin;
– Improved segregated waste facilities for apartments;
– A single-use plastic ban starting next July, with all packaging to be reusable or recyclable by 2030;
– A ban on multi-buy packs or “buy one, get one free” offers in supermarkets, which contribute to 30 per cent of food waste, according to research;
– Retailers potentially being prohibited from throwing out food ahead of its use-by date, and making it easier to donate food;
– Measures to encourage more recycled materials in construction, with possible levies for sites that don’t separate waste in skips;
– A levy on “fast fashion”, covering cheap clothes as well as footwear and interior furnishings like carpets, curtains, bedding and furniture, so people buy “quality rather than quantity”;
– A “textile action group” to be set up to work with Irish designers and retailers to promote “eco-design”;
– More fixed penalty notices for breaches of waste law;
– Any plastic drinks container holding up to 3 litres will be banned from 2024, unless the cap is attached to the main part of the container;
– Plastic drinks bottles and containers must contain 25 per cent recycled material from January 2025, rising to 30 per cent by 2030;
– Producers of packaging will have to cover costs of clean-ups associated with food containers, packets, wrappers, drinks containers, cups and lightweight carrier bags by January 2023;
– Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme – which holds makers of electrical goods, tyres and batteries responsible for their disposal – will be expanded to include tobacco companies, balloon makers and manufacturers of wet wipes and fishing gear, and
– An eventual ban on wet wipes, as well as on single-use plastic hotel toiletries and packages for restaurant condiments like sugar and sauces.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Now for the tricky bit: ‘We need to move from a state of fear to being cautious’

And now for the tricky bit .
After months of national solidarity during an abrupt but clearly defined lockdown , followed by a summer lull when transmission rates were low , Covid-19 is back and circulating in all counties , age groups and sectors of society .
Errors and miscommunication have been the hallmarks of the Government ’ s response since it took office two months ago ; anger and frustration the characteristic emotions expressed by a restriction-weary public .
The extent of the State ’ s sudden reversal of fortunes was laid bare during the week when Sweden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that of Ireland .
Six months after closing our schools , we ’ ve ended up with more Covid-19 cases than the Scandinavian poster-boy for a light-touch response to the pandemic , which saw most of its schools stay open throughout .
Other countries in Europe are battling a second surge of the virus , in most cases driven by returning holidaymakers – something that is not the case in Ireland due to heavy restrictions on travel .
Ireland ’ s incidence of the disease on Friday was worse than that of 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latest update from the European Centre for Disease Control .
The reasons for this were laid bare in a punishing critique from Social Democrats leader Róisín Shortall in the Dáil during the week .
“ The early response was fine but it took its eye off the ball , ” she argued .
“ There are a whole lot of gaps in our response .
Nobody knows what the strategy is now in respect of Covid.
” Shortall set out three ways the Government “ is not playing its part – the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have an effective testing and tracing system in place ; to ensure we have proper controls at our airports and ports ; and to ensure that open information and data are made available , and that they would drive the policy in this area ” .
Critics of Ireland ’ s approach range from people seeking the complete elimination of the virus to those calling for a greater reopening of the economy despite the fact that it is circulating .
But both sides agree that Ireland is falling down on the central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
Shortall said she simply “ does not believe ” the much-vaunted capacity of 100,000 tests exists , given it has never been reached ; last week ’ s total of 62,000 was the highest yet .
And although the HSE maintains it can turn around tests and contact tracing in an average of 2.2 days at present , many doubt that level of performance .
The limited amount of information released does not allow for any deeper analysis or checking of the figures .
The passenger locator form incoming travellers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online , but Shortall accurately summarised the previous paper-based system as “ little more than forms being handed out , and the follow-up has been hopeless ” .
Ireland ’ s response to Covid-19 was forged , understandably , in a time of crisis .
Six months on , we still have a patchwork of regulations , guidance notes and laws that are often mutually inconsistent or lack a clear evidence-based rationale .
This was clear during the controversy over Phil Hogan ’ s involvement in the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Kildare over local restrictions imposed on the county .
The National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) has been clear in fulfilling its public health remit but , above them , the co-ordination of actions has been haphazard , particularly since the change of government .
This matters , because the actions needed to stem the outbreak impinge on so many areas of life , and involve multiple Government departments and agencies .
It is hard to think of a single decision on Covid-19 that the Government has made so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of NPHET ’ s recommendations .
There has also been a dearth of real-time information to allow the public make informed decisions based on where the virus is circulating now .
The HSE stopped publishing geographical information on the location of cases early in the pandemic and , until this week , county-by-county 14-day incidence figures were not published .
“ We need to collect relevant data and interrogate it so that it informs us on how to live with the virus , ” says infectious disease specialist Prof Mary Horgan , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Physicians of Ireland .
Knowing more about the relative risk faced by specific categories in the population would help guide the measures to be applied to them , for example .
Shortall points out : “ Actions being taken at the moment are simply not understandable because they are not backed up by any data or evidence.
” The pity is that success is attainable .
Other European countries are successfully reversing their second surges , while in Ireland the virus is spreading but slowly .
We now know a huge amount about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affects most and what stops transmission , Horgan points out .
“ If countries are serious about opening up , they must be serious about suppressing transmission and saving lives , ” World Health Organisation boss Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this week .
But this can only be achieved if countries are in control of transmission : “ The more control countries have over the virus , the more they can open up .
Opening up without having control is a recipe for disaster .
It ’ s not one size fits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or nothing.
” The WHO has a checklist of actions to achieve this goal .
The first is to prevent “ amplifying events ” such as in stadiums or nightclubs .
This is why Ireland has banned spectators and kept pubs not serving food closed .
Scotland has closed pubs in Aberdeen but kept them open when it imposed restrictions in Glasgow , because the virus was circulating in different ways in the two cities .
Another goal has been reducing death among vulnerable groups .
As elsewhere , the failure to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest single failing in Ireland ’ s performance at the height of the pandemic .
The refusal of the authorities to allow for a proper investigation of what went wrong is worrying , but it is hard to imagine the system allowing the same mistakes to be made a second time .
Irish people generally are successfully implementing the third leg of the WHO strategy by taking personal measures to reduce risk – physical distancing , masks , handwashing and respiratory etiquette , and avoiding the three Cs of closed spaces , crowded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find , isolate , test and care for cases , and to trace and quarantine contacts , is the last item on the WHO list of actions .
This becomes more difficult to implement as the level of public co-operation declines .
This week we learned that up to one-quarter of test appointments are “ no-shows ” while half of close contacts fail to turn up for their test after seven days .
The Government , which plans to unveil its new strategy in mid-September , appears to be following the example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travellers so as to shorten quarantine periods .
In Luxembourg and Iceland , for example , the 14-day quarantine period can be cut if visitors test negative on arrival and five days later .
Luxembourg even offers free tests to outgoing and incoming residents arriving in its airport .
The febrile debate around Covid in Ireland is absent in much of Europe , except perhaps around the issue of mask-wearing .
The anger directed at members of the Oireachtas golf society was understandable , but hardly productive .
Equally unproductive is the tendency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language used to warn people of the dangers of the virus .
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly had little justification for claiming late last month that the coronavirus pandemic is “ close to having us lock down the country again ” .
Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn again this week urged us to treat all our friends and contacts as “ pariahs ” in order to minimise the risk of infection from them .
Meanwhile , Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry likened new regulations requiring pubs and restaurants to keep records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month to the actions of the “ Stasi ” .
The hyped-up language might not be necessary if the public had a clearer idea of what was happening – where the virus is circulating , what actions are being taken to deal with outbreaks – and if a better co-ordinated and better explained response was in place .
Four people with Covid-19 died in August , compared to 15 on the roads .
The only death announced last week actually occurred in June .
“ We need to be getting on with it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we now know about the disease , ” says Horgan .
“ We need to look at what ’ s happening in Europe and see what ’ s working for them .
“ And we need to move from a state of fear to being cautious .
”

And now for the tricky bit.
After months of national solidarity during an abrupt but clearly defined lockdown, followed by a summer lull when transmission rates were low, Covid-19 is back and circulating in all counties, age groups and sectors of society.
Errors and miscommunication have been the hallmarks of the Government’s response since it took office two months ago; anger and frustration the characteristic emotions expressed by a restriction-weary public.
The extent of the State's sudden reversal of fortunes was laid bare during the week when Sweden's incidence of the disease dived below that of Ireland. Six months after closing our schools, we've ended up with more Covid-19 cases than the Scandinavian poster-boy for a light-touch response to the pandemic, which saw most of its schools stay open throughout.
READ MORE
Other countries in Europe are battling a second surge of the virus, in most cases driven by returning holidaymakers – something that is not the case in Ireland due to heavy restrictions on travel.
Ireland’s incidence of the disease on Friday was worse than that of 19 of our European neighbours, according to the latest update from the European Centre for Disease Control.
The reasons for this were laid bare in a punishing critique from Social Democrats leader Róisín Shortall in the Dáil during the week.
“The early response was fine but it took its eye off the ball,” she argued. “There are a whole lot of gaps in our response. Nobody knows what the strategy is now in respect of Covid.”
Shortall set out three ways the Government “is not playing its part – the need to honour its commitment to ensure we have an effective testing and tracing system in place; to ensure we have proper controls at our airports and ports; and to ensure that open information and data are made available, and that they would drive the policy in this area”.
Critics of Ireland’s approach range from people seeking the complete elimination of the virus to those calling for a greater reopening of the economy despite the fact that it is circulating. But both sides agree that Ireland is falling down on the central tasks of testing, tracing and isolating people.
Shortall said she simply “does not believe” the much-vaunted capacity of 100,000 tests exists, given it has never been reached; last week’s total of 62,000 was the highest yet.
And although the HSE maintains it can turn around tests and contact tracing in an average of 2.2 days at present, many doubt that level of performance. The limited amount of information released does not allow for any deeper analysis or checking of the figures.
The passenger locator form incoming travellers are supposed to fill in has just gone online, but Shortall accurately summarised the previous paper-based system as “little more than forms being handed out, and the follow-up has been hopeless”.
More information
Ireland's response to Covid-19 was forged, understandably, in a time of crisis. Six months on, we still have a patchwork of regulations, guidance notes and laws that are often mutually inconsistent or lack a clear evidence-based rationale. This was clear during the controversy over Phil Hogan's involvement in the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner, and the inconsistencies also featured in the kickback in Kildare over local restrictions imposed on the county.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has been clear in fulfilling its public health remit but, above them, the co-ordination of actions has been haphazard, particularly since the change of government.
This matters, because the actions needed to stem the outbreak impinge on so many areas of life, and involve multiple Government departments and agencies. It is hard to think of a single decision on Covid-19 that the Government has made so far that wasn’t just a rubber-stamping of NPHET’s recommendations.
There has also been a dearth of real-time information to allow the public make informed decisions based on where the virus is circulating now.
The HSE stopped publishing geographical information on the location of cases early in the pandemic and, until this week, county-by-county 14-day incidence figures were not published.
“We need to collect relevant data and interrogate it so that it informs us on how to live with the virus,” says infectious disease specialist Prof Mary Horgan, who is president of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
Knowing more about the relative risk faced by specific categories in the population would help guide the measures to be applied to them, for example.
Shortall points out: “Actions being taken at the moment are simply not understandable because they are not backed up by any data or evidence.”
Success is attainable
The pity is that success is attainable. Other European countries are successfully reversing their second surges, while in Ireland the virus is spreading but slowly. We now know a huge amount about how the virus spreads, who it affects most and what stops transmission, Horgan points out.
"If countries are serious about opening up, they must be serious about suppressing transmission and saving lives," World Health Organisation boss Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this week.
But this can only be achieved if countries are in control of transmission: “The more control countries have over the virus, the more they can open up. Opening up without having control is a recipe for disaster. It’s not one size fits all. It’s not all or nothing.”
The WHO has a checklist of actions to achieve this goal. The first is to prevent “amplifying events” such as in stadiums or nightclubs. This is why Ireland has banned spectators and kept pubs not serving food closed.
Scotland has closed pubs in Aberdeen but kept them open when it imposed restrictions in Glasgow, because the virus was circulating in different ways in the two cities.
Another goal has been reducing death among vulnerable groups. As elsewhere, the failure to protect older people in nursing homes was the greatest single failing in Ireland’s performance at the height of the pandemic. The refusal of the authorities to allow for a proper investigation of what went wrong is worrying, but it is hard to imagine the system allowing the same mistakes to be made a second time.
Irish people generally are successfully implementing the third leg of the WHO strategy by taking personal measures to reduce risk – physical distancing, masks, handwashing and respiratory etiquette, and avoiding the three Cs of closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings.
Tailored actions to find, isolate, test and care for cases, and to trace and quarantine contacts, is the last item on the WHO list of actions. This becomes more difficult to implement as the level of public co-operation declines. This week we learned that up to one-quarter of test appointments are “no-shows” while half of close contacts fail to turn up for their test after seven days.
The Government, which plans to unveil its new strategy in mid-September, appears to be following the example of other countries by offering testing to travellers so as to shorten quarantine periods.
In Luxembourg and Iceland, for example, the 14-day quarantine period can be cut if visitors test negative on arrival and five days later. Luxembourg even offers free tests to outgoing and incoming residents arriving in its airport.
Hyped-up language
The febrile debate around Covid in Ireland is absent in much of Europe, except perhaps around the issue of mask-wearing. The anger directed at members of the Oireachtas golf society was understandable, but hardly productive.
Equally unproductive is the tendency of so many to crank up the language used to warn people of the dangers of the virus. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly had little justification for claiming late last month that the coronavirus pandemic is "close to having us lock down the country again".
Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn again this week urged us to treat all our friends and contacts as "pariahs" in order to minimise the risk of infection from them. Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry likened new regulations requiring pubs and restaurants to keep records of meals bought by customers for a month to the actions of the "Stasi".
The hyped-up language might not be necessary if the public had a clearer idea of what was happening – where the virus is circulating, what actions are being taken to deal with outbreaks – and if a better co-ordinated and better explained response was in place.
Four people with Covid-19 died in August, compared to 15 on the roads. The only death announced last week actually occurred in June.
“We need to be getting on with it, by making informed policy decisions on what we now know about the disease,” says Horgan. “We need to look at what’s happening in Europe and see what’s working for them.
“And we need to move from a state of fear to being cautious.”


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Witness recalls trying to convince Azzam Raguragui ‘he was going to make it’

A teenager who was stabbed during a row in a park in Dublin last year told a friend who came to help him that he believed he was going to die , the Central Criminal Court has heard .
The witness said he ran to Azzam Raguragui ( 18 ) when he saw he had been injured during the fight , which followed a dispute between two groups of teenagers over a stolen bicycle .
“ I was telling Azzam he was going to make it and he was telling me he was going to die , ” the witness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azzam suffered five stab wounds during the melee and later died in hospital .
The 17-year-old accused in the trial , who can not be identified because he is a minor , has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to the murder of Azzam at Finsbury Park , Dundrum on May 10th , 2019 .
The deceased ’ s mother broke down in court as her son ’ s final moments were recounted by the witness .
Mr Justice Paul McDermott asked the jury to leave the court for a period and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that cases of this kind generate “ real and understandable emotions particularly to those who have suffered loss ” .
The judge explained that the court deals with matters in a clinical way , which although appropriate , “ brings its own effects and causes emotions to run very high ” .
He asked the jury to put aside emotion and said that while this may seem “ aloof or cold ” , their job was to consider and analyse the facts in a dispassionate way .
The jury heard from another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the park .
He said he and Azzam and a group of friends had earlier been in Dundrum , where a dispute with friends of the accused over a stolen bike began .
He said that later that evening he was with his friends in Finsbury Park when the accused and others approached .
The two groups talked for a time but then Azzam and a member of the other group walked away .
They talked privately for a time before the other boy “ boxed ” Azzam in the forehead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and in the middle of the melee he saw Azzam on the ground trying to kick the accused , who had stabbed him .
“ He couldn ’ t do much because he was getting stabbed but he was backing away on his back and his legs kicking , ” the witness said .
The fight ended suddenly and the witness ran to his friend and waited for an ambulance to come .
“ It is like you ’ re in a dream that really did not happen , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a local mosque , believing Azzam would recover and they would have a laugh about it all later .
When he found out that night that Azzam had died , he said he was “ shocked ” .
“ None of us thought that Azzam was going to die , ” he said .
“ When we got the news I was just shook .
I couldn ’ t accept it .
I didn ’ t want to accept it.
” Under cross examination , the witness denied a suggestion by Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the mosque agreed to say that the first punch was thrown by a member of the accused ’ s group .
He insisted that the fight broke out after Azzam was punched .
The trial continues in front of Mr Justice McDermott and a jury of six men and six women .

A teenager who was stabbed during a row in a park in Dublin last year told a friend who came to help him that he believed he was going to die, the Central Criminal Court has heard.
The witness said he ran to Azzam Raguragui (18) when he saw he had been injured during the fight, which followed a dispute between two groups of teenagers over a stolen bicycle.
“I was telling Azzam he was going to make it and he was telling me he was going to die,” the witness told prosecution counsel James Dwyer SC.
Azzam suffered five stab wounds during the melee and later died in hospital.
READ MORE
The 17-year-old accused in the trial, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to the murder of Azzam at Finsbury Park, Dundrum on May 10th, 2019.
The deceased’s mother broke down in court as her son’s final moments were recounted by the witness. Mr Justice Paul McDermott asked the jury to leave the court for a period and, when they later returned, he said that cases of this kind generate “real and understandable emotions particularly to those who have suffered loss”.
The judge explained that the court deals with matters in a clinical way, which although appropriate, “brings its own effects and causes emotions to run very high”.
He asked the jury to put aside emotion and said that while this may seem “aloof or cold”, their job was to consider and analyse the facts in a dispassionate way.
Stolen bicycle
The jury heard from another witness who was involved in the fight in the park. He said he and Azzam and a group of friends had earlier been in Dundrum, where a dispute with friends of the accused over a stolen bike began.
He said that later that evening he was with his friends in Finsbury Park when the accused and others approached. The two groups talked for a time but then Azzam and a member of the other group walked away. They talked privately for a time before the other boy “boxed” Azzam in the forehead.
The witness said a fight then broke out and in the middle of the melee he saw Azzam on the ground trying to kick the accused, who had stabbed him.
“He couldn’t do much because he was getting stabbed but he was backing away on his back and his legs kicking,” the witness said.
The fight ended suddenly and the witness ran to his friend and waited for an ambulance to come.
“It is like you’re in a dream that really did not happen,” he said.
After the ambulance left he went to a local mosque, believing Azzam would recover and they would have a laugh about it all later.
When he found out that night that Azzam had died, he said he was “shocked”.
“None of us thought that Azzam was going to die,” he said. “When we got the news I was just shook. I couldn’t accept it. I didn’t want to accept it.”
Under cross examination, the witness denied a suggestion by Michael Bowman SC that he and his friends at the mosque agreed to say that the first punch was thrown by a member of the accused’s group.
He insisted that the fight broke out after Azzam was punched.
The trial continues in front of Mr Justice McDermott and a jury of six men and six women.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Coronavirus in Ireland: 98 more cases and no further deaths reported

A further 98 confirmed Covid-19 cases have been reported in the State , and no further deaths , the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) has said .
There has not been a death recorded from Covid-19 in the State since August 22nd .
Friday ’ s figures bring the total number of confirmed cases in the Republic to 29,303 , and the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 1,777 .
Of the cases notified two thirds are aged under 45 and nine cases have been identified as community transmission .
More cases of the virus were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 of Friday ’ s cases being confirmed in females , while 48 cases were men .
There were 24 cases in Dublin , 13 in Kildare , eight in Kerry , six in Kilkenny , six in Limerick , six in Louth , five in Tipperary and the remaining 30 cases are in Carlow , Clare , Cork , Galway , Laois , Leitrim , Longford , Meath , Monaghan , Offaly , Waterford and Wexford .
Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn called on members of the public to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all times ” ahead of the weekend .
“ Have no more than six visitors to your home and keep 2m between you .
Open windows and keep rooms well ventilated if possible , ” he said .
“ It ’ s important that we all keep our number of social contacts low while we focus on keeping our schools safe , continuing to resume healthcare services and ultimately protecting the most vulnerable from Covid-19.
” According to the Department of Health ’ s Covid-19 dashboard , there were 44 cases of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which were in the intensive care unit .
Some 14,064 tests were carried out in the past 24 hours , and the positivity rate was 1.3 per cent , the dashboard states .
It brings the total number of tests carried out this week to 63,697 .
Sligo , Mayo and Leitrim currently have the lowest levels of Covid-19 infections in the State , according to new data .
Each recorded fewer than five new cases of the virus over the past fortnight , giving incidences of 1.5 , 2.3 and 3.1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In contrast , Kildare continues to have the highest incidence , at 73.7 , followed by Tipperary , at 63.3 , according to a report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre ( HPSC ) .
The HPSC has for the first time begun publishing daily epidemiological reports based on 14-day incidence , which stands at 32.3 nationally .
A total of 1,536 cases were notified in the past fortnight , 49 patients were hospitalised and two were admitted to intensive care .
Almost half of the new cases were linked to clusters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age of cases was 35 and ages ranged from 0 to 98 years .
The report shows 182 cases occurred among children aged 14 and under .
Two children in this age range , and six in the 15-24 year-old bracket , were hospitalised .
In the capital , the highest incidence of the virus is in Dublin West , followed by Dublin North-Central .
One in five cases involved community transmission , and 7 per cent were travel-related .
A separate report on clusters says workplace outbreaks have occurred in a variety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pizza delivery premises , factories , primary care centres and Garda stations .
A total of 546 oubreaks remain open , including 377 in private homes , 38 in nursing homes and 35 in workplaces .
Northern Ireland reported one more coronavirus-related death on Friday , bringing the total number of fatalities recorded by the North ’ s department of health ( DoH ) to 564 .
Two deaths were recorded on Thursday .
It reported 61 new cases .

A further 98 confirmed Covid-19 cases have been reported in the State, and no further deaths, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has said.
There has not been a death recorded from Covid-19 in the State since August 22nd.
Friday’s figures bring the total number of confirmed cases in the Republic to 29,303, and the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 1,777.
Of the cases notified two thirds are aged under 45 and nine cases have been identified as community transmission.
READ MORE
More cases of the virus were found in women than men, with 50 of Friday’s cases being confirmed in females, while 48 cases were men.
There were 24 cases in Dublin, 13 in Kildare, eight in Kerry, six in Kilkenny, six in Limerick, six in Louth, five in Tipperary and the remaining 30 cases are in Carlow, Clare, Cork, Galway, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Waterford and Wexford.
Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn called on members of the public to keep physical distance "top of mind at all times" ahead of the weekend.
“Have no more than six visitors to your home and keep 2m between you. Open windows and keep rooms well ventilated if possible,” he said.
“It’s important that we all keep our number of social contacts low while we focus on keeping our schools safe, continuing to resume healthcare services and ultimately protecting the most vulnerable from Covid-19.”
According to the Department of Health’s Covid-19 dashboard, there were 44 cases of the virus in hospitals on Friday, seven of which were in the intensive care unit.
Some 14,064 tests were carried out in the past 24 hours, and the positivity rate was 1.3 per cent, the dashboard states. It brings the total number of tests carried out this week to 63,697.
Sligo, Mayo and Leitrim currently have the lowest levels of Covid-19 infections in the State, according to new data.
Each recorded fewer than five new cases of the virus over the past fortnight, giving incidences of 1.5, 2.3 and 3.1 cases per 100,000 population, respectively.
In contrast, Kildare continues to have the highest incidence , at 73.7, followed by Tipperary, at 63.3, according to a report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
The HPSC has for the first time begun publishing daily epidemiological reports based on 14-day incidence, which stands at 32.3 nationally.
A total of 1,536 cases were notified in the past fortnight, 49 patients were hospitalised and two were admitted to intensive care. Almost half of the new cases were linked to clusters and 140 were healthcare workers. The mean age of cases was 35 and ages ranged from 0 to 98 years.
The report shows 182 cases occurred among children aged 14 and under. Two children in this age range, and six in the 15-24 year-old bracket, were hospitalised.
In the capital, the highest incidence of the virus is in Dublin West, followed by Dublin North-Central. One in five cases involved community transmission, and 7 per cent were travel-related.
A separate report on clusters says workplace outbreaks have occurred in a variety of facilities, including food wholesalers, pizza delivery premises, factories, primary care centres and Garda stations. A total of 546 oubreaks remain open, including 377 in private homes, 38 in nursing homes and 35 in workplaces.
Northern Ireland reported one more coronavirus-related death on Friday, bringing the total number of fatalities recorded by the North's department of health (DoH) to 564. Two deaths were recorded on Thursday. It reported 61 new cases.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Thiago Osorio Cortes: ‘He was my fiance, but he was my best friend as well’

Persistence .
Patience .
Consistency .
These were the words Brazilian-born Thiago Osorio Cortes ( 28 ) had tattooed in Portuguese on his upper left arm .
These were the principles he lived his life by .
These words lay unseen under his Deliveroo uniform after he was struck by a car on Monday at Dublin ’ s North Wall Quay ; a car that did not stop .
Gardaí believe they have identified the driver and the investigation continues .
The catastrophic impact of the injuries Cortes sustained led to his life-support machine being turned off in the Mater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Teresa Dantas was present for this sad moment .
She was his fiancee of almost six months .
“ I met Thiago when we were both 11 at school , ” she says by phone , struggling to remain composed as friends supported her in the background .
“ We were in the same class for a year , and then he moved to another city , but we kept in touch.
” The pair would have been together for seven years in November .
It was Cortes who suggested that they move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a really good life in Brazil , but Thiago wanted to travel and see the world .
He knew that being in Europe would make it easier to travel than being in Brazil .
There were opportunities here we did not have in Brazil , ” Dantas says .
Cortes enrolled in the Erin School of English on Dame Street in 2018 and completed his studies there .
The couple travelled on holiday to France , Portugal and Spain .
Everywhere they went , they made a side-trip to a football stadium as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He had two additional tattoos on his leg and wrist : the name Vasco , the Brazilian team he supported , and its emblem .
He sometimes travelled alone to watch football matches , visiting England , Italy and Germany .
Dantas was surprised by how easily Cortes adapted to the cooler weather in Ireland .
“ He really liked it , ” she says .
The couple lived in Portobello , where they had many friends .
“ He was so loyal to his friends and always by their side .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every time .
Our friends became like a family .
I think it is important to reinforce how much of a friend he was to everyone .
He was my fiance , but he was my best friend as well , above all else.
” They went home to Brazil together at Christmas to visit family , and stayed there until the end of January .
On March 11th , Dantas turned 28 and , unbeknownst to her , Cortes had been back and forth to a jeweller , trying to choose the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most .
Over dinner in The Ivy restaurant in Dublin on her birthday , Cortes presented the ring to Dantas “ He was shaking a lot when he asked me .
He was really nervous , ” she recalls , adding that this was unusual as Cortes was usually laughing and smiling .
Their engagement happened just before the Covid-19 lockdown began , and thus their marriage plans had to be put on hold .
“ We were always really careful and responsible with our savings , ” she says .
Cortes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Dublin ; a college that specialises in computing , IT , and business .
“ He wanted to study IT , ” she says .
As a stopgap , Cortes began working as a Deliveroo rider only a fortnight ago .
He had been working for the organisation for “ 10 days or less ” when he was injured on the job .
Before he left for work that day , he and Dantas ate lunch together at home .
“ Thiago was an amazing cook .
He loved barbecue in particular.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were to eat together : beef , rice and beans .
Then he put on his uniform and went to work .
When he did not come home that night , Dantas kept calling his mobile .
Eventually , it was answered by a stranger to her ; a member of the Garda , who told her the news .
Thiago has a younger brother and his parents still live in Brazil .
His father , Celso Cortes , posted a translated message on Facebook on Wednesday .
“ It will be impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me the most precious asset ...
It ’ s hard to face this reality when it was about someone so young , with so many things still to live for , ” he said .
“ But life has never been fair and I will try to get attached every day to the best memories so that a little peace can invade my heart .
Rest in peace my dear son.
” There are currently two Go Fund Me initiatives running to support Cortes ’ s fiancee and family .
The ‘ Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its €50,000 target as of Friday morning , while the ‘ Ireland helps family repatriate Thiago Cortes ’ page had raised more than €9,000 .
Dantas ’ s mother arrives from Brazil to support her daughter this weekend .
The family has not yet made a decision about where funeral will be held .

Persistence. Patience. Consistency. These were the words Brazilian-born Thiago Osorio Cortes (28) had tattooed in Portuguese on his upper left arm. These were the principles he lived his life by.
These words lay unseen under his Deliveroo uniform after he was struck by a car on Monday at Dublin’s North Wall Quay; a car that did not stop. Gardaí believe they have identified the driver and the investigation continues.
The catastrophic impact of the injuries Cortes sustained led to his life-support machine being turned off in the Mater Hospital on Wednesday. His fellow Brazilian Teresa Dantas was present for this sad moment. She was his fiancee of almost six months.
A bicycle lies on the ground of a suspected hit-and-run on North Wall Quay in Dublin city centre late on Monday. Brazilian man Thiago Osorio Cortes was fatally injured in the incident. Photograph: Damien Storan.
Theresa Dantas, fiancee of Deliveroo driver Thiago Osorio Corte, prays at the site where he was fatally injured in a collision on Monday night. Photograph: Damien Storan.
“I met Thiago when we were both 11 at school,” she says by phone, struggling to remain composed as friends supported her in the background. “We were in the same class for a year, and then he moved to another city, but we kept in touch.”
READ MORE
The pair would have been together for seven years in November. It was Cortes who suggested that they move to Ireland.
“We both had a really good life in Brazil, but Thiago wanted to travel and see the world. He knew that being in Europe would make it easier to travel than being in Brazil. There were opportunities here we did not have in Brazil,” Dantas says.
Cortes enrolled in the Erin School of English on Dame Street in 2018 and completed his studies there. The couple travelled on holiday to France, Portugal and Spain. Everywhere they went, they made a side-trip to a football stadium as Cortes loved sport, especially football.
He had two additional tattoos on his leg and wrist: the name Vasco, the Brazilian team he supported, and its emblem. He sometimes travelled alone to watch football matches, visiting England, Italy and Germany.
Dantas was surprised by how easily Cortes adapted to the cooler weather in Ireland. “He really liked it,” she says.
The couple lived in Portobello, where they had many friends.
“He was so loyal to his friends and always by their side. He stood up for the ones he loved every time. Our friends became like a family. I think it is important to reinforce how much of a friend he was to everyone. He was my fiance, but he was my best friend as well, above all else.”
They went home to Brazil together at Christmas to visit family, and stayed there until the end of January. On March 11th, Dantas turned 28 and, unbeknownst to her, Cortes had been back and forth to a jeweller, trying to choose the engagement ring he thought she would love the most.
Over dinner in The Ivy restaurant in Dublin on her birthday, Cortes presented the ring to Dantas
“He was shaking a lot when he asked me. He was really nervous,” she recalls, adding that this was unusual as Cortes was usually laughing and smiling.
Their engagement happened just before the Covid-19 lockdown began, and thus their marriage plans had to be put on hold.
“We were always really careful and responsible with our savings,” she says.
Cortes had taken an exam with CCT College in Dublin; a college that specialises in computing, IT, and business.
“He wanted to study IT,” she says.
A stopgap
As a stopgap, Cortes began working as a Deliveroo rider only a fortnight ago. He had been working for the organisation for “10 days or less” when he was injured on the job.
Before he left for work that day, he and Dantas ate lunch together at home.
“Thiago was an amazing cook. He loved barbecue in particular.”
He cooked the last meal they were to eat together: beef, rice and beans. Then he put on his uniform and went to work.
When he did not come home that night, Dantas kept calling his mobile. Eventually, it was answered by a stranger to her; a member of the Garda, who told her the news.
Thiago has a younger brother and his parents still live in Brazil. His father, Celso Cortes, posted a translated message on Facebook on Wednesday.
“It will be impossible to forget the day they stole from me the most precious asset...It’s hard to face this reality when it was about someone so young, with so many things still to live for,” he said.
“But life has never been fair and I will try to get attached every day to the best memories so that a little peace can invade my heart. Rest in peace my dear son.”
There are currently two Go Fund Me initiatives running to support Cortes’s fiancee and family. The ‘Justice for Thiago Cortes’ page had passed its €50,000 target as of Friday morning, while the ‘Ireland helps family repatriate Thiago Cortes’ page had raised more than €9,000.
Dantas’s mother arrives from Brazil to support her daughter this weekend. The family has not yet made a decision about where funeral will be held.


theirishtimes--2020-09-05--Motorcyclist dies following crash near Edenderry

A motorcyclist aged in his 20s has died after a crash near Edenderry in Co Offaly .
It is believed @ @ @ @ @ may have struck a lamppost after it left the R401 road shortly after 10am on @ @ @ @ @ the scene but the motorcyclist was pronounced dead a short time later .
His remains @ @ @ @ @ mortuary at Tullamore Hospital where a post-mortem examination is to be carried out .
Investigating @ @ @ @ @ and anyone with video footage from along the route at the time of the collision @ @ @ @ @ diversions were put in place as Garda forensic investigators examined the scene of the crash @

Emergency services attended the scene in Co Offaly but the motorcyclist was pronounced dead a short time later.
A motorcyclist aged in his 20s has died after a crash near Edenderry in Co Offaly.
It is believed the man’s bike may have struck a lamppost after it left the R401 road shortly after 10am on Saturday.
Emergency services attended the scene but the motorcyclist was pronounced dead a short time later.
His remains have been removed to the mortuary at Tullamore Hospital where a post-mortem examination is to be carried out.
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Investigating gardaí have appealed for witnesses and anyone with video footage from along the route at the time of the collision to contact them.
Local diversions were put in place as Garda forensic investigators examined the scene of the crash.


theirishtimes--2020-09-05--Deliveroo cyclists : ‘We want to deliver food without thinking we might be robbed or run over’

Deliveroo cyclists say they feel frightened and unsafe delivering food on the streets of Dublin following the death of Brazilian Thiago Cortes in a fatal hit-and-run on Monday night .
Foreign nationals working for food delivery companies told the Irish Times they ’ re feeling increasingly nervous about cycling alone through the capital following a spate of attacks and road traffic incidents .
Now , after Mr Cortes ’ death , some are looking for work elsewhere .
The 28-year-old died after he was hit by a car travelling at speed on the North Wall Quay on Monday .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time of the incident and had only started the job a fortnight ago .
Max , * says rumours are now flying around that the hit-and-run vehicle purposely targeted Mr Cortes and that gangs are waiting to jump delivery cyclists at different spots across the city .
Max , who is from Brazil and has worked with Deliveroo for nearly two years , was hospitalised last December after he was hit with a iron stick by a group of youths who stole his bike .
He was left without hearing in one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now often feels frightened cycling after dark .
This week , his friend who also works with Deliveroo was attacked with a hurl in Dublin 8 , he told the Irish Times .
“ Honestly we felt that this was something that was going to happen at some stage , ” he says in relation to Mr Cortes ’ death .
“ We ’ ve experienced so much harassment and attacks before this we were kind of expecting it .
It feels like we ’ ve lost a family member , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has worked as a Deliveroo delivery man since 2018 , used to love cycling around the city and keeping fit .
However , he says cyclists have started learning not to accept deliveries in “ dangerous zones ” where they are more likely to be harassed or robbed .
Mr Santos , who was punched in the face by a man while making a delivery in Inchicore last year , says he frequently make reports to the gardaí but that they often say they can not follow up on the incident .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t go into that area because it ’ s dangerous .
But I don ’ t understand how a police officer can ’ t do anything , we need to know it ’ s safe when we work .
“ Every day we wake up and pray that Gold will bless us so we can have a good day and return home safety .
When you work every day in fear it ’ s difficult.
” Mariana , who preferred not to give her surname , started working with Deliveroo a year ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throw stones , eggs and most recently , fireworks at her as she passes by .
Last May she came off her bike after being hit by vehicle in the city centre .
“ I hit my head and hurt my chin and had to rest for a week after because my body was sore .
Now every time I ’ m cycling I think about that and worry it will happen again .
I try to cycle slowly but then again , the customer wants their food to arrive straightaway.
” Mariana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after she heard about Mr Cortes ’ death .
“ I tried working on Thursday , I need to pay my rent and my bills , but I could only do it for one hour .
I felt extra afraid of cars and confrontations with teenagers .
We ’ re trying to support each other but we fear something bad will happen.
” Shalom* , another Brazilian Deliveroo cyclist , says she has struggled to sleep this week since hearing of Mr Cortes ’ death .
“ Even without having met him it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In May , her husband Joao* was held at knife point while making a food delivery in Dublin 8 .
“ A teenager appeared in front of the motorcycle ... he put a knife or tool with a sharp point at his neck and my husband handed the bike over , ” she said .
The couple are no longer accepting food orders for certain parts of the city and have decided to take a break from Deliveroo for a few days following Mr Cortes ’ death .
“ We are waiting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our only income .
We delivery people just want to be able to work in peace .
We want to pick up the food and deliver it to the customer without thinking we might be robbed or run over.
” *Speakers requested use of pseudonyms to protect their identity

Deliveroo riders held a vigil on Wednesday for their late colleague Thiago Cortes who was killed in Dublin on Monday night.The Brazilian had been working as a cycling courier for the food delivery company when he was struck by a car.
Deliveroo cyclists say they feel frightened and unsafe delivering food on the streets of Dublin following the death of Brazilian Thiago Cortes in a fatal hit-and-run on Monday night.
Foreign nationals working for food delivery companies told the Irish Times they’re feeling increasingly nervous about cycling alone through the capital following a spate of attacks and road traffic incidents. Now, after Mr Cortes’ death, some are looking for work elsewhere.
The 28-year-old died after he was hit by a car travelling at speed on the North Wall Quay on Monday. Mr Cortes was delivering food for Deliveroo at the time of the incident and had only started the job a fortnight ago.
Mariana started delivering food with Deliveroo last year.
Max,* says rumours are now flying around that the hit-and-run vehicle purposely targeted Mr Cortes and that gangs are waiting to jump delivery cyclists at different spots across the city.
READ MORE
Max, who is from Brazil and has worked with Deliveroo for nearly two years, was hospitalised last December after he was hit with a iron stick by a group of youths who stole his bike. He was left without hearing in one ear for a number of weeks and now often feels frightened cycling after dark. This week, his friend who also works with Deliveroo was attacked with a hurl in Dublin 8, he told the Irish Times.
Harassment and attacks
“Honestly we felt that this was something that was going to happen at some stage,” he says in relation to Mr Cortes’ death. “We’ve experienced so much harassment and attacks before this we were kind of expecting it. It feels like we’ve lost a family member, he was so young.”
William Santos, who has worked as a Deliveroo delivery man since 2018, used to love cycling around the city and keeping fit. However, he says cyclists have started learning not to accept deliveries in "dangerous zones" where they are more likely to be harassed or robbed. Mr Santos, who was punched in the face by a man while making a delivery in Inchicore last year, says he frequently make reports to the gardaí but that they often say they cannot follow up on the incident.
“They just tell me I shouldn’t go into that area because it’s dangerous. But I don’t understand how a police officer can’t do anything, we need to know it’s safe when we work.
“Every day we wake up and pray that God will bless us so we can have a good day and return home safety. When you work every day in fear it’s difficult.”
Mariana, who preferred not to give her surname, started working with Deliveroo a year ago. She says groups of children regularly throw stones, eggs and most recently, fireworks at her as she passes by. Last May she came off her bike after being hit by vehicle in the city centre.
“I hit my head and hurt my chin and had to rest for a week after because my body was sore. Now every time I’m cycling I think about that and worry it will happen again. I try to cycle slowly but then again, the customer wants their food to arrive straightaway.”
Sleep problems
Mariana started looking for a new job soon after she heard about Mr Cortes’ death. “I tried working on Thursday, I need to pay my rent and my bills, but I could only do it for one hour. I felt extra afraid of cars and confrontations with teenagers. We’re trying to support each other but we fear something bad will happen.”
Shalom*, another Brazilian Deliveroo cyclist, says she has struggled to sleep this week since hearing of Mr Cortes’ death. “Even without having met him it’s like my brother died.”
In May, her husband Joao* was held at knife point while making a food delivery in Dublin 8. “A teenager appeared in front of the motorcycle... he put a knife or tool with a sharp point at his neck and my husband handed the bike over,” she said. The couple are no longer accepting food orders for certain parts of the city and have decided to take a break from Deliveroo for a few days following Mr Cortes’ death.
“We are waiting for things to calm down but deliveries are our only income. We delivery people just want to be able to work in peace. We want to pick up the food and deliver it to the customer without thinking we might be robbed or run over.”
In response, a Deliveroo spokesperson said: “Riders are at the heart of Deliveroo and we prioritise rider safety. We have a dedicated rider team in place to assist our riders and we are currently engaging with all of our riders in Ireland to ensure they understand how to stay safe and to assist them in any way we can with matters regarding their safety, which is of utmost concern to us.
“Everyone at the company is deeply saddened by the shocking and tragic passing of Thiago Cortes, and our first thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. We continue to be in touch with Thiago’s family on a daily basis and our doing everything we can to assist the police in their investigation of this matter.”
Deliveroo said in a statement:“Riders are at the heart of Deliveroo and we prioritise rider safety. We have a dedicated rider team in place to assist our riders and we are currently engaging with all of our riders in Ireland to ensure they understand how to stay safe and to assist them in any way we can with matters regarding their safety, which is of utmost concern to us.
"Everyone at the company is deeply saddened by the shocking and tragic passing of Thiago Cortes, and our first thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. We continue to be in touch with Thiago’s family on a daily basis and our doing everything we can to assist the police in their investigation of this matter.”
*Speakers requested use of pseudonyms to protect their identity


theirishtimes--2020-09-05--Church bells to ring, Air Corp to fly over Dublin to celebrate National Services’ Day

People across the country are being asked to “ make some noise ” on Saturday afternoon in support of frontline services as part of a dramatically curtailed National Services Day .
Church bells all over Ireland will ring out to mark the moment , emergency service vehicles will be on the streets with sirens blaring and lights flashing and the Irish Air Corps will perform a fly over of Dublin .
The event - usually held on the first Saturday in September and marked by a parade and other activities in honour of full-time , part-time and voluntary workers including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defence Forces , the Coast Guard , Lifeboat services and the Civil Defence - has been scaled back as a result of public health restrictions .
“ We had to change how we celebrated the National Services Day [ but ] this year more than others we knew we had to do something , ” the organisers said in a social media post .
“ So on this National Services Day at 3pm we are asking each and every person that can , to make some noise in support of their frontline services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have done during the pandemic and to remember those who we have lost along the way and made the ultimate sacrifice to protect others from this deadly virus.
” In addition to the call to noise being made to the general public , a small group of emergency services personnel and the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee will lay a wreath in memory of service members who have died during the pandemic on Saturday afternoon .
“ Our frontline , emergency and voluntary services have and continue to work tirelessly to protect each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have lost some members in that fight and their memory will live on with the aid of the National Services Day , ” the organisers said .

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has paid tribute to Detective Garda Colm Horkan who was shot dead in Castlerea, Co Roscommon in June as she laid a wreath in memory of service members who have died during the pandemic.
A small ceremony was held at Collins Barracks in Dublin as part of a dramatically curtailed National Services Day with the Minister using the opportunity to hail the murdered garda’s “selfless commitment to community and country”.
She said it was her “deep privilege to work closely with some of our frontline emergency services” adding that she had “seen at first hand their tremendous professionalism and dedication, in what can be very challenging circumstances. ”
An Garda Síochána band perform to mark National Services Day on Saturday. Photograph: Garda/Facebook
** Happy National Services day **
To all our service members, today is your day, wear your uniform with pride and remember those we have lost and can't be with us today.
Lets "Make Some Noise" at 3pm & let our hero's hear the support loud and clear.#nationalservicesday #nsd2020 pic.twitter.com/3SLFps27cb — NationalServicesDay (@NatServicesDay) September 5, 2020
Garda Stations in Kildare marking National Services Day 2020 @IrishESRPC pic.twitter.com/szVmfYSeCO — Garda Info (@gardainfo) September 5, 2020
She said the demands placed on emergency workers “have perhaps never been greater than this year, as we live through the Covid-19 pandemic”.
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The last six months have been “a frightening and uncertain time for all of us”, the Minister said, but “our emergency workers – despite any private fears they may have had for themselves or their loved ones – have continued to fully perform their duties and have indeed increased their efforts to support the public. We owe them, and their families, a deep debt of gratitude for their outstanding professionalism, dedication and care.”
"On this day, I think particularly of Detective Garda Colm Horkan, who tragically lost his life in the service of the State this year. In his selfless commitment to community and country, Detective Horkan represented the very best of An Garda Síochána and indeed of all our frontline services. We remember and honour him today."
Fly over
She concluded by saying that although the pandemic had “prevented us holding a parade in their honour this year, I join with the Frontline Emergency and Security Services Éire Forum in asking members of the public to take some time today to remember and pay a warm tribute to the women and men of our frontline and emergency services.”
At exactly seven minutes past 3pm three Air Corp helicopters flew in a neat triangular formation over the roof of the Mater Hospital on Dublin's northside.
As the blades above burred a solitary ambulance driving slowly down Eccles Street sounded its siren in short bursts.
As well as the fly-over and the sirens, church bells rang out, car horns blared and people clapped in recognition of the work done generally by frontline workers over the last year and – more particularly – the work they have done since the start of the Pandemic last spring.
Scaled back
The event – which has been held on the first Saturday in September since its inception in 2018 – is normally marked by a parade and other activities in honour of full-time, part-time and voluntary workers including fire fighters, ambulance crews, the Defence Forces, the Coast Guard, Lifeboat services and the Civil Defence.
But this year is like no other and the commemoration was scaled back as a result of public health restrictions.
“We had to change how we celebrated the National Services Day [but]this year more than others we knew we had to do something,” the organisers said in a social media post.


theirishtimes--2020-09-05--Ronan Glynn: Ireland facing chapter two of pandemic over winter

Ireland is facing into “ chapter two ” of the Covid-19 pandemic this winter but nobody knows what is going to happen in the coming months , the acting chief medical officer ( CMO ) Dr Ronan Glynn has said .
Appealing to the public to hold firm on guidelines and etiquette , Dr Glynn said “ the signs are good ” regarding vaccine development but that there is now a need to focus on the next nine months .
“ We are in the process of closing chapter one of our experience with Covid and we are moving into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the winter , ” he said on Friday ’ s Late Late Show .
“ But I don ’ t want people to despair just because we are moving into the winter , there is lots we can do as individuals and families to plan for that .
So Government will be providing a plan the week after next.
” In an interview often characterised by guarded optimism , Dr Glynn said he could see sports reopening to attending audiences before Christmas but that everything was dependent on the stability of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pubic behaviour .
As regards new rules for pubs and restaurants to maintain records of food purchases for 28 days , he said that was not a specific recommendation of the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) – the guiding organisation he chairs – but that it was designed to police a minority of premises .
“ I think the measure that was brought in in the last 24 hours was a genuine effort not to impact on those vast majority of businesses that have been trying to do the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ones that weren ’ t. ” He also said that while the Government did not always take NPHET ’ s advice , this did not puzzle him .
“ It ’ s for Government to take our recommendations and place them in a much wider context.
” The acting CMO ’ s focus is on the coming months , however , and he cautioned that there was no expert in the world who could definitively say what will happen .
Ireland has stabilised its recent increase in cases but he said when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates were likely to fluctuate comparatively for some time .
“ As we sit here tonight the disease is stable , ” he said .
“ Schools have just reopened .
We need to look to see what happens with the disease over the next couple of weeks ; if we see a continued stabilisation or improvement then we will obviously look again at the measures , relax the measures .
”

Appearing on the Late Late Show on RTE Dr Ronan Glynn the acting chief medical officer has said “the signs are good” regarding vaccine development for Covid-19 but that there is now a need to focus on the next nine months. Video: The Late Late Show
Two pop-up Covid-19 testing centres have been opened in Dublin after 133 new cases, of the 231 total nationwide, were reported in the Capital on Saturday.
The countrywide total is the highest number of cases recorded in a single day since May 14th. No further deaths have been reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn urged people in Dublin to keep their social contacts as low as possible.
He said given the increase in the number of cases in Dublin, the HSE has opened pop-up swabbing centres at Croke Park and at Castleknock Health Centre.
READ MORE
“While there is a significant number of cases in Dublin today, it is important to look at the day’s figures in the context of our 7 and 14-day incidence rates,” he said.
NPHET was paying close attention to trends and patterns in the data over time, Dr Glynn said, “in order to analyse the progression of Covid-19 both across the country and in particular areas or settings”.
“However, it is now really important that people in Dublin keep their social contacts as low as possible. It is also vitally important that if you feel unwell, you self-isolate immediately.”
He said people should phone their GP without delay if concerned.
“Know the symptoms to pay close attention to - cough, shortness of breath, fever, loss of sense of taste or smell,” he said.
The total number of cases in the country now stands at 29, 534 while the number of deaths has remained at 1,777 since August 22nd.
Community transmission has been identified in 54 of the cases and 69 per cent are under the age of 45.
Kildare accounts for 18 Of the new cases, Limerick at 13, with eight in Offaly, seven in both Galway and Wicklow, six in Meath and in Cork, five in Donegal, Cavan and Waterford with the remaining 18 in Carlow, Clare, Kerry, Laois, Leitrim, Louth, Mayo Monaghan, Sligo and Tipperary.
Men account for 115 of the cases with 113 women affected.
There was 118 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, according to the Department of Health.
While the department’s statistical dashboard provides updates on the number of positive test results over the weekend, it does not relay up-to-date information on coronavirus fatalities on Saturdays and Sundays.
The latest death toll reported by the department on Friday stood at 564.
‘Chapter two’ of pandemic
On Friday night, Dr Ronan Glynn said Ireland is facing into “chapter two” of the Covid-19 pandemic this winter but nobody knows what is going to happen in the coming months.
Appealing to the public to hold firm on guidelines and etiquette, Dr Glynn said “the signs are good” regarding vaccine development but that there is now a need to focus on the next nine months.
“We are in the process of closing chapter one of our experience with Covid and we are moving into chapter two now as we move into the winter,” he said on Friday’s Late Late Show.
“But I don’t want people to despair just because we are moving into the winter, there is lots we can do as individuals and families to plan for that. So Government will be providing a plan the week after next.”
Stability
In an interview often characterised by guarded optimism, Dr Glynn said he could see sports reopening to attending audiences before Christmas but that everything was dependent on the stability of the virus, which in turn is dependent on public behaviour.
As regards new rules for pubs and restaurants to maintain records of food purchases for 28 days, he said that was not a specific recommendation of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) – the guiding organisation he chairs – but that it was designed to police a minority of premises.
“I think the measure that was brought in in the last 24 hours was a genuine effort not to impact on those vast majority of businesses that have been trying to do the right thing but actually to clamp down on the ones that weren’t.”
He also said that while the Government did not always take NPHET’s advice, this did not puzzle him.
“It’s for Government to take our recommendations and place them in a much wider context.”
Coming months
The acting CMO’s focus is on the coming months, however, and he cautioned that there was no expert in the world who could definitively say what will happen.
Ireland has stabilised its recent increase in cases but he said when compared to other European countries, these rates were likely to fluctuate comparatively for some time.
“As we sit here tonight the disease is stable,” he said. “Schools have just reopened. We need to look to see what happens with the disease over the next couple of weeks; if we see a continued stabilisation or improvement then we will obviously look again at the measures, relax the measures.” – Additional reporting PA


theirishtimes--2020-09-05--I found this insect outside my backdoor? Readers’ nature queries

I saw this insect just outside my backdoor .
It was about the size of a usual wasp .
– Kevin Farnan , Tralee , Co Kerry It ’ s an ichneumon wasp called the yellow ophion .
It is not related to ordinary wasps but is a parasite of the caterpillars of moths .
We saw these tiger-print birds at Poolbeg lighthouse recently , and they were not at all frightened of us .
– Ciaran Ryan , Swords , Co Dublin They are turnstones , small waders that are winter visitors and occasional migrants from their breeding grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I found this butterfly or moth on the side of the house .
It seems to have one butterfly and three moth wings .
– Brian Hayden , Terenure , Dublin 6 It ’ s the red underwing moth showing upper wings with one pulled back to reveal the underwing .
This creature was on the side of one of my beehives .
I put it safely back into the vegetation .
– Simon Ó Cróinín , Ráthcairn , Co na Mí The caterpillar of the vapourer moth will now pupate into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hairs from its body .
I spotted this unusual seaweed in a rock pool near Clonakilty , Co Cork .
Its fronds appeared to have a slimy white coating .
– John Hurley , Stillorgan , Co Dublin Prof Michael Guiry tells me that it is an alga , Codium fragile , known as green sponge fingers , It ’ s an alien species probably bought in with shellfish introductions .
I saw this rather large caterpillar on the cliff walk at Kilkee , Co Clare , and would like to know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Churchtown , Dublin 14 It ’ s the caterpillar of the elephant hawkmoth , a beautiful pink and gold , native moth .
Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn , Louisburgh , Co Mayo , F28 F978 , or by email at viney @ anu.ie .
Please include a postal address

I saw this insect just outside my backdoor. It was about the size of a usual wasp. – Kevin Farnan, Tralee, Co Kerry
It's an ichneumon wasp called the yellow ophion. It is not related to ordinary wasps but is a parasite of the caterpillars of moths.
Turnstones
We saw these tiger-print birds at Poolbeg lighthouse recently, and they were not at all frightened of us. – Ciaran Ryan, Swords, Co Dublin
They are turnstones, small waders that are winter visitors and occasional migrants from their breeding grounds in northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland.
Red underwing moth
I found this butterfly or moth on the side of the house. It seems to have one butterfly and three moth wings. – Brian Hayden, Terenure, Dublin 6
It's the red underwing moth showing upper wings with one pulled back to reveal the underwing.
Caterpillar of the vapourer moth
This creature was on the side of one of my beehives. I put it safely back into the vegetation. – Simon Ó Cróinín, Ráthcairn, Co na Mí
The caterpillar of the vapourer moth will now pupate into a cocoon in which it incorporates the hairs from its body.
READ MORE
Green sponge fingers
I spotted this unusual seaweed in a rock pool near Clonakilty, Co Cork. Its fronds appeared to have a slimy white coating. – John Hurley, Stillorgan, Co Dublin
Prof Michael Guiry tells me that it is an alga, Codium fragile, known as green sponge fingers, It's an alien species probably bought in with shellfish introductions.
Caterpillar of the elephant hawkmoth
I saw this rather large caterpillar on the cliff walk at Kilkee, Co Clare, and would like to know what it is. – Kieron Brennan, Churchtown, Dublin 14
It's the caterpillar of the elephant hawkmoth, a beautiful pink and gold, native moth.
Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, F28 F978, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Please include a postal address