No further deaths of Covid-19 patients have been reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) on Sunday. This leaves at 4,534 the total number of deaths in the pandemic.

Nphet also reported 384 confirmed cases of the disease, bringing to 226,741 the total number of cases in the Republic.

Of the new cases, 145 are in Dublin, 41 in Kildare, 37 in Offaly, 29 in Galway and 24 in Cork, with the remaining 108 cases are spread across 17 other counties.

Hospital Report

The 14-day incidence of the disease now stands at 150.7 cases per 100,000 people nationally. Offaly has the highest county incidence, followed by Longford and Dublin. Leitrim has the lowest incidence

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The median age of cases is 31 years and 73 per cent are under 45.

As of 8am on Sunday, 349 Covid-19 patients were in hospital with 86 of those in intensive care units.

Some 589,512 doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in the State as of March 11th. Of those, 426,819 people have received their first dose while 162,693 people have received their second dose. This is an increase of 19,121 doses compared to Wednesday, March 10th.

One previously confirmed case of the virus has been denotified following validation of data at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. This is reflected in the current total number of confirmed cases.

Almost 300,000 pupils across the country are due to return to school on Monday morning as primary schools fully reopen and fifth-year students return to secondary school.

Junior classes and sixth years returned a fortnight ago under the Government’s phased reopening plan.

Earlier on Sunday, no further deaths as a consequence of Covid-19 were reported in Northern Ireland, the North’s Department of Health said.

Another 143 people tested positive.

On Saturday, one further death had been reported, while another 146 people tested positive.

Health authorities in the North said their vaccination effort was outstripping expectations. Those aged 60 and over are receiving the jab, as well as people with underlying health conditions who are vulnerable.

The UK government has agreed to deploy 100 members of the military to the North to support the “accelerated rollout” of vaccines. Medically trained members of the armed forces have been sent to support health service staff.

The request for military support was made by Stormont’s Department of Health and granted by British defence secretary Ben Wallace.

Also on Sunday, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) advised the continuation of the North’s vaccine programme as planned.

The clarification comes as several European countries, including the Republic, have temporarily halted the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine following a report from the Norwegian Medicines Agency which detailed four new reports of serious blood clotting in adults after being vaccinated with the jab.

In a statement, the MHRA said; “We are aware of the action in Ireland. We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause.” Additional reporting – PA