24 further deaths and 371 cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Ireland

File picture: Denis Minihane.

A further 371 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).

24 additional deaths have also been confirmed.

Nphet stated that 12 deaths occurred in March, with 10 in February and two in January.

The median age of those who died was 82 years and the age range was 49 to 100 years.

Some 151 of the cases reported today are in Dublin. 31 cases are in Offaly, with 27 in Donegal, 25 in Galway and 21 in Meath.

The remaining 116 cases are spread across 16 other counties.

Of today's cases

• 183 are men
• 187 are women 
• 75% are under 45 years of age 
• The median age is 30 years old

The death toll from the virus in Ireland now stands at 4,610 while there has been a total of 231,484 confirmed cases of Covid-19 here.

Nphet stated that as of 8am today, 357 patients with Covid-19 are hospitalised, of which 76 are in ICU.

Some 675,946 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland as of March 20.

Nphet reports that 492,106 people have received their first dose, while 183,840 people have been given the second jab.

Earlier, the booking portal for mandatory hotel quarantine was set live.

All passengers arriving into Ireland from designated States after 4am on March 26 are now required to pre-book accommodation in a designated quarantine facility, and to pre-pay for their stay.

The first facility that will be available to receive arriving travellers is the Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport Hotel in Santry.

People who arrive into the country without a PCR test will be confined to their room until they get a negative result under the new hotel quarantine system.

The Defence Forces will act as State liaison and will have operational oversight of the entire hotel quarantining system.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly confirmed that the first bookings into the system have already been made.