THE NUMBER OF people in hospital with Covid-19 in Ireland has risen to 101, breaking the three-digit milestone for the first time since May.

The number of people in hospitals across the country with the coronavirus disease has risen by 10 in the past 24 hours. However, the number of people in intensive care units (ICUs) with the illness dropped by two to 20, following three discharges and one admission.

The hospitals with the highest numbers of Covid-19 patients include Mayo University Hospital (16), Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown (10) and Letterkenny University Hospital (10).

Yesterday, the Department of Health reported 91 people in hospital with the illness, along with 22 people in ICU.

The reported hospital figures have consistently tended to be slightly higher on Mondays, as discharges drop significantly over the weekend.

Before dropping below the milestone in May, Ireland’s number of Covid-19 hospitalisations had been above 100 since the previous September.

During the Covid-19 surge in January, more than 2,000 people were in hospital with the coronavirus and over 400 were receiving high-grade ventilation and respiratory support.

Meanwhile, figures from the Government’s Covid data hub, published yesterday, showed that over 5.1 million vaccine doses have been administered in Ireland, including 2.9 million first doses and 2.3 million second doses.

Around 75% of the population aged 16 or over have now received at least one dose.