Covid-19: Slight increase reported in numbers in hospitals and ICUs

There has been a slight increase in the number of Covid-19 patients in Irish hospitals, new data show.

As of 8am on Thursday, there were 197 patients in hospital with the virus — up from 180 on Tuesday. There were 20 patients in intensive care units (ICU) as of on Thursday — up two since Wednesday.

A further 615 cases were confirmed by PCR test, with 847 registered through positive antigen tests on Wednesday.

An 77 additional Covid-19 deaths were also reported. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the State since the pandemic began now stands at 7,381, according to the Department of Health.

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Data from the European Centre for Disease Control shows 58.5 per cent of the Republic’s population have availed of a booster or additional dose of a Covid vaccine. Some 10.8 million doses of vaccines have been administered in State to date.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed an end to virtually all of the country’s Covid-19 restrictions near the end of January this year, saying Ireland had “weathered the Omicron storm”. Restrictions were dropped entirely on April 1st.

It is now advisory to continue to wear a face covering on public transport and in healthcare settings while testing is no longer necessary in the majority of people displaying symptoms unless they are a healthcare worker, pregnant or 55 years of age and have not received a booster.

If you are a close contact of any individual who tests positive for the virus, and if that person is not a healthcare worker, and is not symptomatic then you do not need to be tested for Covid-19. If you are symptomatic, it is advised that you self-isolate for 48 hours until symptoms subside.

The current self-isolation period for anyone who does test positive is seven days.