Prof Gabriel Scally: Many recent Covid deaths directly due to restrictions being eased before Christmas

A record 101 deaths were confirmed here yesterday, and one person was only 19. 

But the lowest number of cases since December 28th was also recorded, with 879 new infections.

The chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan says we have a long way to go to bring the virus under control.

Professor Scally says the recent death toll is a tragedy:

"There are so many countries around the world who are not experiencing deaths or if they are, it's a tiny number of people. So, as far as I'm concerned, any death now is avoidable, and a high proportion of these were undoubtedly avoidable if restrictions had been kept in place during that difficult period in the end of November/December."