PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed that 18 more people have died with Covid-19 in Ireland.

11 of the deaths occurred in March and 7 were in February.

Additionally, 761 more cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed, according to the latest figures from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

The total number of Covid-19 cases since the first outbreak of the virus here last year now stands at 236,600.

The number of people who have died has reached 4,705.

Of today’s cases:

• 383 are men and 373 are women
• 72% are under 45
• The median age is 33 
• 372 in Dublin, 55 in Meath, 43 in Cork, 40 in Kildare, 38 in Offaly and the remaining 213 cases are spread across 19 other counties.

At 8am today, there were 274 Covid-19 patients in hospital, including 63 in ICU.

18 additional hospitalisations have been made in the past 24 hours.

Up to 29 March, 819,676 doses of vaccines against Covid-19 have been administered in Ireland, including 590,688 first doses and 228,988 second doses.

The national 14-day incidence rate currently stands at 164.9 cases per 100,000 people.

The rate is highest in Offaly at 509.2 and in Donegal at 281.4 per 100,000.

In Dublin, where 372 new cases were confirmed today, the rate is 247.6.

Roscommon, Carlow, Leitrim, Clare, Sligo and Kerry each confirmed fewer than five cases today, while Wicklow and Kilkenny reported no new cases.

Validation of data by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has led to the denotification of 15 cases that were previously confirmed, which is reflected in the current tally.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has signed the authorisation for the use of Janssen’s vaccine against Covid-19, which was developed by Johnson & Johnson.

The Janssen vaccine involves only one dose and does not require cold storage such as the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

First deliveries of the jab are expected in the coming weeks.

Yesterday, there were six deaths and 411 cases confirmed in Ireland.