Cautious approach to level five restrictions

A cautious approach is expected to be adopted when the current Level 5 restrictions are reviewed next week, as the Health Protection Surveillance Centre reported an increase in outbreaks of Covid-19 in private houses and schools.

Rising case numbers and the spread of the B117 variant across the continent could hinder Ireland’s Covid-19 response if restrictions are eased too quickly, today's cabinet meeting was told.

This was followed by the confirmation this evening of 18 further deaths and 683 additional cases of Covid-19. There were 35 new cases reported in Meath today.

Six of the deaths reported today occurred in March, seven in February and five in January.

There has been a total of 4,628 Covid-19 related deaths and 232,164 cases of the virus in Ireland.

As of 8am today, 329 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised. A total of 76 of these patients are in intensive care units. There has been 18 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Of the cases notified today:

324 are men / 359 are women

75% are under 45 years of age

The median age is 32 years old

308 are in Dublin, 68 in Donegal, 49 in Kildare, 35 in Meath, 30 in Offaly and the remaining 193 cases are spread across 21 other counties.

As of Sunday 21 March, 680,015 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland:495,824 people have received their first dose and 184,191 people have received their second dose.