A further 26 people with COVID-19 have died in the Republic, while 701 new cases have been confirmed.

According to the Department of Health, two deaths that were previously classed as COVID-related have been denotified, so the total number of deaths here stands at 1,087.

The total number of cases of the virus is now 19,262.

Data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre shows that of the 18,431 cases reported to it as of midnight on April 26, 2,576 cases have been hospitalised and of these, 349 have been admitted to ICU.

Some 5,064 cases are associated with healthcare workers.

Earlier, the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, announced an additional €1.1 million investment in online mental health supports for people, particularly healthcare workers.

The funding will allow the HSE to deliver a number of additional online and telephone supports to frontline staff and the general population.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a 10-fold increase in people seeking online couselling through MyMind, while there has also been a 44% increase in contacts made to SpunOut.

Meanwhile, almost 16,000 calls have been made to ALONE, with loneliness a common theme among callers.

"The pandemic has caused hurt, pain and tragedy for many people. It has also left many people feeling alone, isolated, anxious and stressed. The additional funding announced will allow us to increase our reach and help more people," Minister Harris said.

He also emphasised that frontline staff "need our help more than ever" because every day, "they go to work and place themselves in harm's way to protect us".

The funding will be used to develop additional online supports, including:
-Online life skill courses supporting people with things like managing stress and developing good sleep habits
-Providing new online counselling supports for members of the public and health services staff and volunteers
-Expanding the provision of telepsychiatry services for existing users of mental health services
-Creating additional supports for Leaving Certificate students.
"We know that the impact of COVID-19 has been a new challenge for us all. Minding our mental health is more important now than ever before. We want everyone to know that there are many supports available.

"Thanks to technology, connecting with mental health supports online, by text or on the telephone is becoming much easier for everyone. We encourage anyone who is struggling or feeling more anxious and stressed than normal, to reach out and connect with these supports and services today," commented the HSE's chief operations officer, Anne O'Connor.

For more information on the mental health supports available, click on YourMentalHealth.ie.

COVID-19 is spread through close contact with an infected person's body fluids (e.g. droplets from coughing or sneezing), or by touching surfaces that an infected person has coughed or sneezed on. It can take up to 14 days for symptoms of the virus to show. These may include a fever, a persistent cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

COVID-19 can also cause more severe illnesses, including pneumonia and severe breathing difficulties. Some 80% of cases will be mild to moderate, 14% will be more severe, while 6% will be critical.

Restrictions in relation to COVID-19 are now in place until May 5. As part of these restrictions, everybody is being asked to stay at home, except in specific circumstances. These include:
-Travelling to and from work in circumstances where the work is an essential health, social care or other essential service that cannot be done from home
-To shop for essential food and household goods
-To attend medical appointments
-For vital family reasons, such as caring for children or elderly people
-To take brief individual exercise within your locality, which may include children from your household, however this should be within 2km of your home.

All public and private gatherings of any number of people outside a single household or living unit are prohibited.

Those over the age of 70 and medically vulnerable people are also being cocooned. For more information on this, click here.

ALONE, the organisation that supports older people to age at home, is running a national support line for older people facing difficulties due to COVID-19. The support line is open every day from 8am to 8pm, call 0818 222 024.

For more information on COVID-19, click here.