Seven further deaths of Covid-19 patients have been reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) on Friday evening. Nphet also reported a further 206 confirmed cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases to 71,699.

This is the lowest daily total since September 21st.

The 14-day incidence of the disease has dropped below the 100 mark for the first time in two months. The national incidence is 98.2 cases per 100,000 people, Nphet reported.

Hospital Report

“Just got the latest Covid figures and am delighted to share that for the first time in quite a while our 14 day incidence rate per 100k has fallen below 100 (98). And our 7 day is 40, suggesting our cases are still falling,” Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly tweeted.

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Donegal has the highest county incidence, at 216.1, slightly down on the previous day. Louth has an incidence of 199.4 while Limerick’s is 181.6. Leitrim has the lowest incidence by county, at 31.2.

Of the new cases, 64 are in Dublin, 23 in Limerick, 20 in Donegal, 18 in Cork, 14 in Louth, 14 in Meath, with the remaining 53 cases in 18 other counties.

The median age is 34 years and 67 per cent are under 45.

On Friday, there were 248 Covid-19 patients in hospital, up two on the previous day. The number of ICU patients remained unchanged at 35.

Validation of data at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has lead to the denotification of one confirmed case and this is reflected in Friday’s reported total number.

These latest figures come on a day when a plan for the State to exit Level 5 restrictions was announced by the Government.

Meanwhile, the North’s health department in its daily bulletin on Friday afternoon reported 12 more coronavirus deaths taking its death toll to 974.

It also reported 391 new virus cases, bringing the total since the outbreak of the pandemic to 51,509.

Hospital bed occupancy in the north is currently at 95 per cent. There are 425 patients being treated for Covid in Northern Ireland hospitals with 37 in intensive care and 30 on ventilators.

The overall 7-day Covid figure for Northern Ireland is 132 cases per 100,000 of population.