14-day Covid incidence rate in Ireland is third-lowest in EU
The Munster region has reported some of the lowest rates of Covid-19 infection in the country.
Ireland has the third lowest 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 in the European Union.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, only Portugal and Finland have lower rates of infection at present.
The 14-day incidence rate of the virus here is now 117.4 per 100,000 population.
The latest international data comes as 434 new cases of the virus and one Covid-related death were reported yesterday.
In terms of hospitalisation, 166 people are receiving treatment for the coronavirus with 48 confirmed cases in intensive care.
Two admissions have been made to intensive care in the past 24 hours while two people have been discharged.
Overall, 19 people were discharged from hospital yesterday while 17 patients were admitted.
This represents a major reduction compared after hospitalisations have declined by more than half since last month.
A consultant in infectious diseases, Professor Cliona Ni Cheallaigh has said the hospital number is likely to continue the sustained fall.
"I think its probably not unreasonable to think that rate might continue, so could we see it halving within the next month? I think so.
"If we continue with the parameters that we have at the moment then I think definitely then within the next month we could be below 100 and closer to 50, hopefully," said Prof Ni Cheallaigh.
Meanwhile, as of Wednesday, April 21, a total of 1,275,828 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine had been administered in Ireland.
904,774 people (some 23% of the population) have received their first dose, while 371,054 people (almost 10% of the population) have been fully vaccinated.
This weekend, those aged 60-64, including those with health conditions, can begin to register online for their covid-19 vaccine.
People have been asked to register on specific days initially to help the HSE manage demand.
