COVID-19: 54 new confirmed cases in Ireland
There have been 54 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Republic of Ireland.
The total number of people who have now tested positive for coronavirus stands at 223.
Of the new cases, 30 are male and 24 are female, with 41 associated with the east of the country, 11 associated with the south and 2 associated with the north/west.
****
Taoiseach says he expects 30% increase in COVID-19 cases every day
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said there will be an “exponential increase” in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ireland the coming days.
Mr Varadkar expects there will be a daily 30% rise in positive tests for the coronavirus here for the next few weeks.
This could mean over 10,000 cases diagnosed by the end of this month.
****
EU borders to close for 30 days from tomorrow
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced Europe's borders will close for 30 days from 12pm tomorrow.
In a televised address to the nation, Mr Macron said: "All trips between non-European countries and the EU and the Schengen zone will be suspended for 30 days."
Earlier today, a temporary restriction on all non-essential travel to the EU for a period of 30 days was proposed by the European Commission.
****
Dr Tony Holohan: Next seven days 'vital' for controlling the spread of COVID-19
The Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health has said the next seven days will be "vital" in controlling the spread of COVID-19.
Dr Tony Holohan wrote on Twitter that "now is the time" to flatten the curve, the concept used to describe the spread of the new coronavirus.
Dr Holohan issued a list of eight guidelines which people can follow in adherence with HSE guidelines regarding social distancing.
3. Stop shaking hands or hugging when you say hello
4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
5. Wash your hands regularly and practice cough and sneeze hygiene
6. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces#COVID19 #SocialDistancing #FlattenTheCurve— Dr Tony Holohan (@DrTonyHolohan) March 16, 2020
****
Ryanair expecting to ground majority of European fleet
Ryanair expects to see the majority of its European fleet grounded in the coming days.
In a statement, the airline said it expects to reduce its seat capacity by up to 80% within the next seven to 10 days and warned that it can’t rule out grounding the entire fleet.
It comes as Aer Lingus owner IAG said it was reducing capacity by at least 75% for the next two months.
