Covid-19: Eight further deaths confirmed with 329 new cases

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health during the launch of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy at the Department of Health Miesian Plaza, Baggot Street Dublin.

A further eight deaths from Covid-19 have been confirmed this evening by the Department of Health.

The newest figures bring the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland to 2,134.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) also confirmed 329 new cases of the coronavirus.

The total number of cases since the outbreak began has now reached 76,776 confirmed cases.

The number of people in ICU is 31, while 196 people are in hospital.

The seven-day incidence rate is 44.4 per 100,000 of population.

 

Dublin reported the most cases today with 86 followed by Louth with 41.

A further 34 cases were confirmed in Donegal, 25 in Limerick and 17 in Kilkenny.

There were seven cases in Cork.

The remaining 119 cases are across 19 other counties.

Of the cases notified today, 162 are men and 166 are women.

64% are under 45 years of age, and the median age is 37 years old.

Ireland's Covid-19 vaccine plan, which outlines how up to 14 million doses of approved vaccines will be administered, has been published. Picture: Pexels

In the North, there are 486 new cases, and another six deaths.

Nearly 3,000 people were tested in a one-day period, with a 16% positivity rate.

Three of the deaths reported today took place in the past 24 hours, while the other three did not.

444 people are in hospital with the virus in the North, with 33 in intensive care.

 

Earlier, Ireland's Covid-19 vaccine plan, which outlines how up to 14m doses of approved vaccines will be administered, was published.

Under the plan, there will be three phases - the initial rollout, a "ramp up" phase and open access.

The highest priority groups will be vaccinated in the first phase, meaning that those in nursing homes and frontline healthcare workers will be vaccinated first.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that the vaccination programme will be "bigger and more complex" than previous programmes. He said that it will "play a central role in our exit from the pandemic”.