Covid-19: Further 11,683 confirmed cases, 979 in hospital and 93 in ICU

The Department of Health has been notified of a further 11,683 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland; 5,767 PCR-confirmed cases, as well as 5,916 positive antigen tests logged through the HSE portal.

The number of people hospitalised with the virus stands at 979, which is a reduction of 27 since yesterday.

Of those being treated in hospital, 93 are in intensive care, which is down four since yesterday.

Meanwhile, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has told a private Fine Gael party meeting that people are unlikely to need the Digital Covid Cert to enter a pub or restaurant after the end of March.

Mr Varadkar addressing an online meeting of his party ahead of the return of the Dáil on Wednesday said the cert will be required for international travel for some considerable time but “not for domestic purposes”.

He said he wants to “end all those legal restrictions that we're currently subject to”.

Mr Varadkar also suggested that the requirement on wearing masks in crowded public places could become a seasonal requirement rather than a permanent rule.

Earlier, the health minister said some of the current Covid-19 restrictions could be lifted in advance of the end of the month, ahead of schedule.

Speaking on Tuesday, Stephen Donnelly said in his view and in the view of the Government’s health advisors, the peak of the Omicron wave has now passed.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is to meet on Thursday and there is a growing expectation that some of the measures, including the 8pm closing time for pubs and restaurants could be lifted as soon as this weekend.

“Do I think that some of the measures will be lifted, the government will decide to move ahead of the end of the month? Yes, I think it's likely that that measures will come in before the end of the month,” Mr Donnelly said.