There were 18 deaths from the coronavirus disease recorded during the first week of December, according to the latest weekly figures on Covid-19 mortalities from the Health Service Executive (HSE).

This is a reduction of five from the 23 deaths reported the previous week.

There were 214 deaths in November, 207 in October and 177 in September, the latest figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the HSE unit that tracks Covid-19 data, have shown.

Hospital Report

The median age for the latest 18 deaths was 75 and the mean age was 71. The HPSC said that more deaths may yet be reported for the first week of December.

Expert view: Addressing concerns about vaccinating children against Covid-19

---

Post-Covid redundancies to arise but record number in employment expected next year

---

State abandons plan to rejig Covid Restrictions Support Scheme

---

Data supports giving Covid-19 booster vaccines after three months, says EMA

---

Total deaths from the disease stand at 5,788 during the 21-month pandemic.

Men have accounted for 53 per cent of the deaths and women almost 47 per cent. The median age of deaths overall was 82 years and the mean age was 80.

The age of people who have died due to Covid-19 has ranged from 14 to 105. Older age groups have been disproportionately affected by the virus.

People aged 85 and over accounted for 40 per cent of deaths overall, people aged between 75 and 84 for 33.4 per cent of deaths and those aged between 65 and 74 years 16.5 per cent.

There have been 70 deaths among people aged 44 and under.

Almost 85 per cent of the deaths were among people with an underlying health condition. People had been admitted to hospital intensive care units in 12 per cent of the deaths.

There have been 19 deaths among healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Broken down county by county, the mortality rate has been highest in Louth with 175 deaths per 100,000 people followed by Mayo with 173.2, Monaghan with 172.7 and Cavan with 161.5.

Ireland’s Covid-19 mortality rate is among the bottom quarter of 31 countries covering the UK and the European Economic Area.