THE NUMBER OF people in hospital with Covid-19 across the country has fallen to its lowest point this year.
According to latest data on the HSE Daily Operations website there were 290 people being treated for Covid-19 in hospital as of 8pm last night.
It represents a drop from 310 people being treated for the virus in hospital yesterday morning, and is the lowest such figure since late December.
As of 8pm last night, there are also 65 people with Covid-19 in intensive care units, of whom 41 are receiving ventilation care.
Health officials last night confirmed a further 368 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) also reported a further 14 deaths.
The figures come after Cabinet agreed a phased easing of Covid-19 restrictions from 12 April yesterday.
In a televised address to the nation last night, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland was “on the final stretch of this terrible journey”.
Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the Government’s new measures would see the country through the coming weeks to “brighter days and better times ahead”.
“By July, 80% of adults will hopefully have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine,” he said.
“This will change things fundamentally. We can and should be hopeful and optimistic of an enjoyable summer that’s much better than what we’ve experienced over the past six months.”
But he warned that the country was “not there yet” with the level of infection remaining high.
“In the past week alone we have reported almost 4,000 new cases and our incidents is 63% higher than it was the week leading into Christmas,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this means that we remain susceptible to a fourth wave of infection, particularly if measures are eased too quickly.”
However he said this risk would be reduced if cases are kept under control in April and May.
Contains reporting by Press Association.
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