1,181 new Covid cases as hospitalisations fall

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer.File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Health officials have reported 1,181 new cases of Covid-19 today.

Since this morning, 309 Covid patients are hospitalised of which 60 are in ICUs.

The number of people has fallen from yesterday’s figure of 321. However, the number of people in ICUs is up by two.

A week ago, the number of people in hospital with the virus was 367.

In the last seven days, some 166,332 tests have been completed with a positivity rate of 6%.

Tomorrow, members of Nphet will appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health with Cathaoirleach Seán Crowe saying that Covid “continues to loom over our lives”.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan, Deputy CMO Dr Ronan Glynn and National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) Chair Professor Karina Butler will be among those at the meeting.

He said the Committee “welcomes this timely engagement with Nphet and Niac to get the most up to date data available on levels of Covid-19 in the community and the capacity of the hospital system and intensive care units to cope with demand”.

Mr Crowe added that the Committee is eager “to get the latest information on the on-going rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, current plans and opinions on vaccine booster shots and as winter approaches the plans for the winter flu vaccine programme”.