A further 77 people with COVID-19 have died in the Republic, bringing the total number of deaths here to 687.

Sixty-seven of these deaths occurred in the east of the country, four in the west, four in the north west and two in the south.

Fifty-four of the people who died were reported as having underlying health conditions and the median age of those who died was 84.

A further 401 cases of the virus were also confirmed, bringing the total number of cases here to 15,652.

Data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre shows that of the 15,185 cases reported to it as of midnight on April 18, there were 478 clusters of the virus involving 3,139 cases.

Overall, 2,272 cases have been hospitalised, with 306 admitted to ICU. Some 4,009 cases are associated with healthcare workers.

According to the Department of Health's chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, nursing homes and other long-term residential facilities "are a testing priority".

"In facilities with an existing cluster, all residents and staff are to be tested. In the event of a facility reporting its first case, testing of all staff and residents will take place.

"This sector remains a priority for the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), along with other vulnerable persons, and we will continue to implement supports and guidance on infection prevention control where required," he commented.

There are now 18 COVID-19 response teams nationwide, which are assisting nursing homes and other long-term residential facilities.

"These teams have senior clinical expertise, infection prevention and control and public health input in preventing and managing clusters," explained Dr Kathleen MacLellan, assistant secretary of the Department of Health and Chair of the NPHET Vulnerable People Subgroup.

Meanwhile, the department's deputy chief medical officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, pointed out that this week is European Immunisation Week.

"In combatting the spread of COVID-19, we must not forget the impact that other infectious diseases can have on our communities. Vaccines have saved more lives and prevented more serious diseases, like measles and meningitis, than any advance in recent medical history.

"If your baby is due a routine immunisation, please phone your GP practice and arrange for them to be seen. The national immunisation programme is continuing during the COVID-19 outbreak and is vital to protect individual babies and to avoid outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease," Dr Glynn said.

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.