LAST UPDATE | 16 Mar 2021
THE NUMBER OF people in hospital with Covid-19 has fallen slightly.
As of 8am this morning, there are currently 355 patients in hospital with Covid-19.
36 new Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospital in the past 24 hours and 40 have been discharged.
The number of people with Covid-19 in intensive care units this morning stands at 88.
Five people were admitted to ICU in the past 24 hours and two have been discharged.
Health officials last night confirmed a further 575 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) also reported no new deaths.
Last night, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine “outweigh the risks of side effects”.
A number of countries including Ireland suspended the use of this particular Covid-19 vaccine amid concerns over blood clots.
The EMA is currently carrying out an investigation into the vaccine after reports of rare blood-clotting events, including some complicated by very low levels of platelets in the blood of younger adults, after vaccination.
The EMA’s safety committee (PRAC) is set to further review information gathered today and has called an extraordinary meeting tomorrow “to conclude on the information gathered and any further actions that may need to be taken”.
“In the meantime, anyone who has received the vaccine and has any concerns should contact an appropriate healthcare professional. It is important that people who suspect they may have a side effect after vaccination report this to the national medicines regulator, or to a healthcare professional who can help them do so,” it said in a statement.
Earlier yesterday, it emerged that 30,000 fewer doses of Covid-19 vaccines than planned are due to be administered in Ireland this week following the pause in the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
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