PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed 2,975 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

As of 8am today, there were 551 Covid-19 patients in hospital, of which 89 are in ICU.

Yesterday, there were 3,578 new cases of Covid-19, 520 people with the virus in hospital and 83 in ICU.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has also said that there has been 74 deaths notified to them in the past week, bringing Ireland’s total to 5,566.

Of this week’s confirmed deaths, 44 occurred in November and 22 in October, with a further eight occurring before that.

Deaths related to Covid-19 are being announced on a weekly basis but this does not necessarily mean all deaths confirmed today occurred in the past week, as the system in Ireland allows a period of time for deaths to be registered.

Last Wednesday, NPHET said there had been 56 deaths notified in the preceding week, and the previous Wednesday they said there had been 67.

Senior health officials including Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan and Chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) Professor Karina Butler are holding a Covid-19 media briefing in the Department of Health this afternoon. 

More to follow.