Two more people have died from COVID-19 in the Republic of Ireland, bringing the total number of deaths here to six.
219 new coronavirus cases were also confirmed this evening, with 1,125 people now having tested positive here for the virus.
The figures were confirmed by the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan at a Department of Health briefing.
The patients who passed away were both male and located in the east of the country.
The HSE said it is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.
Median age for cases: 44
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre released a further breakdown of the confirmed cases nationwide.
According to data as of midnight on Saturday, the median age of confirmed cases is 44 years.
55% of patients are male and 44% are female, with 37 clusters involving 210 cases.
29% of people who have COVID-19 have been hospitalised, and of those cases, 25 have been admitted to ICU.
Healthcare workers account for 25% of confirmed cases, the data shows.
In terms of where patients are located, Dublin has the highest number of cases (56%), followed by Cork with 12%.
Of those for whom transmission status is known, community transmission accounts for the majority of cases (45%), close contact accounts for 23%, and travel abroad accounts for 31%.
Here is the county by county breakdown of #covid19 in the Republic pic.twitter.com/uFEIJr45fT
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) March 23, 2020
Dr Holohan said: “We understand the anxiety this outbreak may be causing people.
"All aspects of our public health advice are constantly reviewed by the National Public Health Emergency Team and we will not hesitate to take more measures where necessary, based on epidemiological evidence and in proportion with Ireland’s experience of this outbreak.
“The National Public Health Emergency Team will meet again tomorrow morning, where we will continue to review Ireland’s response and make further recommendations where appropriate.
Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health said: “The key response that every individual can make if they are experiencing symptoms is to self isolate.
"While we continue to increase testing in Ireland, in line with WHO guidelines, the most important action that can be taken against this virus is isolation and social distancing.”
