Although Ireland has seen positive trends in terms of Covid-19 cases in recent days, this week has seen a surge in cases in other countries around the world – with the US setting a record for new cases over a seven-day period, with over 500,000 infections.

According to John Hopkins data, daily deaths in the US are also climbing – with one American dying every 107 seconds.

Daily hospitalisations have also been rising in the – growing from 28,608 on September 20, to over 44,000 on Tuesday.

The latest wave of coronavirus has also prompted a return to lockdown in France and Germany. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the EU, UK, Norway, Switzerland and Iceland have accounted for 1.1 million cases of the virus in the past seven days.

The lockdown in France will begin on Friday and last until December 1. People in France will only be allowed to leave their homes to buy essential goods, to exercise for an hour a day, or for medical reasons.

In Germany, the lockdown is set to begin on November 2, and last for four weeks. Bars and pubs will close, while restaurants will only be allowed to provide takeaway services.

In both France and Germany, schools will remain open.

In Northern Ireland, the death toll has now risen to 688 people, following the deaths of a further eight people in the last 24 hours. A further 822 people have also tested positive for coronavirus.

The latest figures also show that the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital in Ireland has reduced – with 318 patients with the virus currently in hospital.

The numbers in ICU have risen to 43 – the highest since May 28, but still well below the peak in April, which saw 155 patients with Covid-19 in ICUs.

Health officials have admitted that it is to early to see the effect of the move to Level 5 lockdown here – and so the figures in Ireland this week suggest that the Level 3 restrictions, which were in place until late last week, were in fact bearing fruit in reduced case numbers.

“The fact that the figures in Northern Ireland are far higher does beg the question,” one political insider commented, “as to why we are in such panic here. They have been able to cope with what is a far higher case load. So why can’t we? You’d have to wonder if the latest complete shutdown was – or is – necessary, not least when you see that the number of positive tests was dropping anyway."