EU COVID-19 poster child Ireland forecasts 'serious increase' in cases

Ireland, which has the second-lowest COVID-19 infection rate in the European Union, looks set for a "serious increase" in cases following the relaxation of public health measures earlier this month, the health minister warned on Thursday. Ireland has the second lowest infection rate in the EU after Iceland, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, after a six-week lockdown introduced in mid-October drove rates down.

Ireland, which has the second-lowest COVID-19 infection rate in the European Union, looks set for a "serious increase" in cases following the relaxation of public health measures earlier this month, the health minister warned on Thursday.

Ireland has the second lowest infection rate in the EU after Iceland, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, after a six-week lockdown introduced in mid-October drove rates down. "The situation is precarious," Stephen Donnelly told parliament. The lead indicators "are all pointing to a serious increase in cases," he said, speaking after what he described as a "very sobering" talk with the country's chief medical officer.

Earlier on Thursday the head of the Irish Health Service Executive warned of an "explosive concoction" of factors pointing towards a surge in cases. The government has focused on the reproduction number, which measures the number of people who become infected as a result of each positive case. It increased from 0.9-1 last week to between 1.1 and 1.3 this week, Donnelly said.

He said the number of people being referred for testing and the proportion of tests being returned positive were both rising quickly. Ireland reopened restaurants earlier this month and was due to lift restrictions on people visiting other homes and traveling around the country on Friday.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe told journalists earlier that he could not rule out the reintroduction of tougher restrictions.