There have been 204 new cases of coronavirus in Ireland, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) said on Tuesday.

Another patient has also died.

The patient is a man and in the east of the country, with an underlying health condition.

There have now been seven COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

It brings the total number of cases here to 1,329.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) says it is now working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

To date, 17,992 tests have been carried out in laboratories across the country as of midnight on Monday.

Data from HPSC, as of midnight on Sunday, reveals:

• 55% are men and 45% are women, with 44 clusters involving 243 cases
• the median age of confirmed cases is 45 years
• 277 cases (29%) have been hospitalised
• Of those hospitalised, 36 cases have been admitted to ICU
• 247 cases (26%) are associated with healthcare workers
• Dublin has the highest number of cases at 535, (55% of all cases) followed by Cork with 123 cases (13%)
• Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 47%, close contact accounts for 23%, travel abroad accounts for 31%

Daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 | Source: Department of Health

The data comes on the same day as the Government announced the closure of all non-essential shops and services.

This includes a four-person limit on outdoor social gatherings, and no unnecessary travel in the State or overseas.

From midnight on Tuesday all theatres, clubs, gyms/leisure centres, hairdressers, betting shops, marts, markets, casinos, bingo halls, libraries and other similar outlets are to shut.

All hotels are to limit their occupancy to essential non-social and non-tourist reasons.

All non-essential retail outlets are to close to members of the public and all other retail outlets are to implement physical distancing.

All cafés and restaurants are to limit supply to take away food or delivery.

All sporting events are cancelled, including those behind closed doors - and all playgrounds and holiday/caravan parks will close.

People are also advised to not use public transport unless it is absolutely necessary.

Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer at the Department of Health, said: “We are now in the crucial weeks of our response to COVID-19.

"All actions we take are based on epidemiological evidence and in proportion to our experience on this island.

“As we learn more about this disease, we are prioritising who will be tested. If you are not in a priority group, you might not be tested.

"However, if you have the symptoms, assume you have COVID-19 and isolate yourself."

Analysis of public health contact tracing has shown that the average number of close contacts per confirmed case has decreased from 20+ to the region of five contacts.

The NPHET says this shows that the public is following health advise, and actively limiting the amount of people they engage with.

The team will meet again on Thursday to review Ireland’s ongoing preparedness and response to COVID-19.

The Department of Health has also launched a new COVID-19 Information Dashboard, providing up to date case information.

Meanwhile the UK saw its biggest daily spike in deaths from coronavirus on Tuesday with 87, taking the nationwide total there to 422.

The British figures came on the first day of a nationwide lock down to counter COVID-19, with the vast majority of new deaths in England.

Eighty-three of the coronavirus fatalities confirmed on Tuesday were there, with two in Scotland, one in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.

The total of 87 is up from 55 deaths announced across the whole of the UK on Monday.