Hospital numbers could increase at a 'significant pace' as Covid cases rise

While the community positivity rate reduced from 8.4% on Friday to 6.7% on Saturday, Paul Reid says the rise in case numbers could put hospitals under pressure. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

The CEO of the Health Service Executive (HSE) has warned hospital numbers could increase at a "significant pace very quickly" as Covid-19 cases rise.

There were 1,377 new infections confirmed on Saturday up 204 on the previous day, the highest daily figure since the end of January.