THE DEPARTMENT OF Health has announced a further 36 people have died from Covid-19 in Ireland, bringing the total number of deaths here to 210.

Health officials also confirmed another 345 more cases of the virus in Ireland this evening. 

There are now a total of 5,709 confirmed cases in Ireland.

27 of the people who died in the past day from Covid-19 were from the east of the country, six from the north and three in the south. 

19 of those who died were male and 17 were female. 24 of the patients who died had underlying health conditions. 

The median age of those confirmed to have died today was 81.

Dublin has the highest number of confirmed cases of any county with 3,061 – 55% of all cases. Cork has 421 cases – 7% of total.

The median age of confirmed cases is 48, and 194 cases have been admitted to intensive care.

Of those for whom transmission status is known, community transmission accounts for 67%, close contact accounts for 22% and travel abroad accounts for 10%.

The figures were released at a briefing with members of the National Public Health Emergency Team this evening. 

Health officials also revealed that there has been 42,484 tests carried out across the country so far, with 12,271 of these carried out in the week to midnight on Monday.

That period has seen a positivity rate of 19% among those tested.

“The increase is a result of a more sensitive case definition, testing people who are more likely to have the disease, including healthcare workers and those hospitalised,” Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health Dr Tony Holohan said.

With reporting from Michelle Hennessy at the Department of Health.