Breaking: 85 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Republic of Ireland

Health officials have confirmed that 85 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Republic of Ireland. One more person has died after testing positive for the virus, bringing the death toll to 1,763.

53 cases are men and 32 are women. 68% are under the age of 45. According to NPHET,  39% of cases are close contacts of confirmed cases.

Community transmission has remained stable.

"People have forgotten the basic message around distance. We need to social distance.", stressed Ronan Glynn. He has urged the public to practice social distancing, which means staying 1-2 metres apart from people outside of your household.

Health officials said the spike in cases is proof of just how quickly the virus can re-emerge.